Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, OON, has called for a recalibration of Nigeria’s foreign policy to align with emerging global realities while safeguarding the nation’s strategic autonomy.
Delivering a guest lecture at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) in Lagos, Tuggar emphasized that the country must avoid being drawn into rigid alliances or ideological blocs in the new multipolar order. Instead, he urged for a pragmatic, interest-driven diplomacy anchored on the four pillars of Nigeria’s foreign policy agenda: Democracy, Demography, Development, and Diaspora.
“Strategic autonomy is not duplicity; it is pragmatism,” Tuggar said. “Binary alignments inhibit nations like Nigeria, which possess size, scale, and resilience to shape the world on our own terms.”
The minister noted that while Nigeria once navigated Cold War pressures under the banner of non-alignment, the 21st century presents fresh challenges—from climate change and artificial intelligence to terrorism and widening inequality. These, he said, require flexible partnerships based on shared interests, not dependency.
Citing Nigeria’s demographic advantage, vast internal markets, and talent pool, Tuggar argued that the country must resist flawed self-diagnosis that undermines its potential. He stressed that Africa remains at the core of Nigeria’s foreign policy, with frameworks like AfCFTA, ECOWAS, and the African Union central to economic and security integration.
Addressing concerns about democracy, Tuggar clarified that Nigeria’s advocacy for democratic governance is not prescriptive but adaptive:
“It’s time Africa took ownership of democracy to suit its own history, cultures, and traditions. No one holds a patent on democracy.”
He also unveiled the Regional Partnership for Democracy (RPD), an MFA initiative developed in collaboration with the UNDP, aimed at strengthening democratic institutions and fostering dialogue in the region.
Tuggar praised the NIIA for its intellectual contributions to Nigeria’s foreign policy since its establishment 64 years ago, urging stronger collaboration between policymakers and scholars to address the complexities of international relations.
The lecture, titled “Navigating Realities: Aligning Nigeria’s Foreign Policy Practice with Emerging Global Dynamics”, comes as the Tinubu administration seeks to reposition Nigeria as a decisive voice in global governance.
Foreign Minister Tuggar Outlines Nigeria’s New Foreign Policy Strategy at NIIA Lecture
