Nigeria must first achieve economic resilience, security, and stability before reclaiming its leadership role in Africa and strengthening its global influence, according to Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sola Enikanolaiye.
Speaking at the launch of Shadows of Power, a book by retired Rear Admiral Sola Oluwagbire in Abuja, Enikanolaiye emphasized that President Bola Tinubu’s reforms are designed to fortify domestic foundations as a prerequisite for a more dynamic foreign policy.
“You cannot have a dynamic and activist foreign policy if the home is weak, if the country is disunited, if there is no harmony in Nigeria. How can you go outside and be taken seriously?” he said.
The minister explained that Nigeria’s foreign policy is now guided by a “Nigeria First” doctrine, placing citizens’ welfare, security, and economic prosperity at the core of diplomatic engagements.
He stressed that while Africa remains the cornerstone of Nigeria’s foreign policy, immediate focus will be on Nigeria and its neighbors, given the interlinked nature of regional security and prosperity.
On global relations, Enikanolaiye said Nigeria would pursue “strategic autonomy,” aligning international partnerships strictly with national interests rather than ideology.
He noted that Nigeria remains open to collaboration with both Western and non-Western powers, including China, Russia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Brazil.
He also defended renewed security cooperation with the United States and other Western allies, describing it as a reinvigoration of longstanding partnerships tailored to current challenges.
Despite concerns about Nigeria’s declining visibility on the world stage, the minister expressed confidence that reforms in professionalism, training, and institutional capacity within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would restore the country’s influence.
“Foreign policy is very critical. It is the flip side of defence policy, and both of them must be pursued in a coordinated manner so that our country can be better secured, prosperous and have a better future,” he added.
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