National Border Closure as Paradigm Shift in Sustainable Foreign Policy Development in Nigeria

Abstract

As the government of Nigeria ordered the closure of its national land borders in August 2019 to curtail illegal cross-border import and export of goods and smuggling of arms, many of the neighboring countries whose economies depend heavily on trade with Nigeria have criticized this action due to the hardship it has brought on trans-border commercial activities. This paper examines the impact of border closure on regional trade between Nigeria and its neighbors. It also examines the potential impact of the border closure on Nigeria’s relations with other African nations and overall implications on Nigeria’s foreign policy. Coming from the Economic Nationalism theoretical perspective, the paper understands the Nigerian government action as a reflection of the government's drive to take total control of the nation’s resources and maximize these for the overall benefit of the citizens. The government policy places the interest of Nigeria first, above the competing interests of other African nations. Although the Nigerian border closure has the potential of adversely impacting regional trade arrangements, including the recent African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), the paper contends that the Nigerian government action upholds the country’s concentric circle foreign policy idea which advocates prioritization of the interest and welfare of citizens over the nation’s interests in West Africa, Africa, and the wider world.