Nigeria’s Soft Power and Economic Diplomacy in Africa

Abstract

The world is more fragile than it used to be as recently as three decades ago. With many countries developing sophisticated weaponry to counter possible external threats, states’ capacity to match each other’s military strength has been greatly enhanced with some going so far as to undermine the code of conduct in international peace politics. However, the descent of the multipolar world order has raised the credibility of soft power as a preferred alternative to hard power politics. This entails the use of economic diplomacy, negotiations, dialogue and persuasions instead of military capabilities. This study raises the need to revert from the traditional hard power display in global politics to a soft power approach. Nigeria in the West African sub-region is a major player in Africa and to a lesser extent in the world. It possesses a range of soft power potential and competences to negotiate with any player in Africa and globally through the plank of soft diplomacy. This study examines the articulation of Nigeria’s soft power in the arena of economic diplomacy and probes how the state marshals its economic engagement (especially in Africa) in the present multi-polar order. The authors further consider the extent to which economic diplomacy satisfies the foreign policy objectives of Nigeria and meets the demands of the Nigerian populace. Using descriptive analysis, the methodology utilizes data from Afrobarometer time series (2002-2014) on how satisfied Nigerians are in the handling of its economy. The realist theoretical framework is utilized to buttress power interplay in international politics and the imperative for soft power utilization by Nigeria and for the success of peaceful politics among nations of the world.