By Ayo Kehinde
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, has called for a comprehensive overhaul of Nigeria’s foreign policy to align with emerging global dynamics.
Speaking at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) in Lagos, where he delivered a lecture titled “Navigating Realities: Aligning Nigeria’s Foreign Policy Practice with Emerging Global Dynamics”, Tuggar said Nigeria must leverage its size, resilience, and moral standing to remain a respected global voice.
He recalled Nigeria’s historic diplomatic roles, including its involvement in the liberation of Southern Africa, the anti-apartheid struggle, peacekeeping in Liberia, Sierra Leone, Sudan, and The Gambia, as well as its pivotal role in establishing ECOWAS in 1975.
The minister noted that the world is entering a multipolar era shaped by climate change, artificial intelligence, terrorism, migration, and inequality. Drawing parallels with the Cold War, he cited Nigeria’s independent foreign policy traditions such as non-alignment, the Concert of Medium Powers, and the Concentric Circles strategy.
On the economic front, Tuggar warned against repeating past mistakes of raw material dependence and externally imposed policies, referencing the Lagos Plan of Action and the Washington Consensus debate.
He explained that President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda is anchored on “Strategic Autonomy,” built around the 4Ds of foreign policy—Democracy, Development, Demography, and Diaspora.
“This approach is rooted in pragmatism, not duplicity, and reflects Nigeria’s size, resilience, and moral standing,” Tuggar said.
Reaffirming Africa’s centrality to Nigeria’s diplomacy, he pointed to opportunities in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and regional security frameworks such as the Multinational Joint Task Force, ECOWAS, and the African Union.
He also announced the Regional Partnership for Democracy (RPD), a new initiative developed with the UNDP to strengthen democratic governance in West Africa by consolidating institutions, promoting inclusive governance, and fostering dialogue amid political disagreements.
Tuggar pledged that Nigeria will continue to act as an influential, self-reliant global player.
“Nigeria’s diplomacy will continue to build partnerships rooted in justice, equity, and the advancement of Africa,” he said.
