Nigeria’s foreign policy and national security in the fourth republic: A general appraisal

Abstract

Nigeria’s foreign policy from independence has not only been prosecuted towards earning foreign revenue for growing the economy for general development; but for ensuring sustainable national security and stable domestic environment. A safe and stable political and socio-economic environment will create a clean business environment that will be conducive for doing business. In spite of Nigeria’s effort to ensure a stable domestic environment since the enthronement of civil democratic administrations in the country between 1999 and 2020; the country is still plagued with myriads of security problems. These security challenges serve as deterrents to Foreign Direct Investment, Foreign Portfolio Investment, home remittances, foreign goodwill, etc. that should be directed at industrialization and manufacturing.  The study is a qualitative one where document method was adopted in generating data for the study through the scrutiny of secondary sources such as books, academic journals, magazines, newspapers, periodicals, and internet facilities. The data generated was analyzed through discourse and explanatory methods. The concepts of foreign policy, national security and convergence theory have been defined and clarified that served as framework for the study. At the end of the study, recommendations have been made towards efficiently prosecuting Nigeria’s foreign policy foreign for attracting more foreign investors for increasing the production processes in the country that will ensure safe and stable domestic environment. Principal among which is, the need for Nigeria’s political leadership and foreign policy managers to focus more on industrialization and manufacturing for the local manufacture of unique products in which the country has comparative competitive advantage in the international market. The high volume of production processes and activities in the country will sap-up idle youths off the streets of our cities where they will be positively engaged and economically empowered; with little or no time for crimes, criminality, insurgency and unnecessary agitations.