The Africa Development Studies Centre (ADSC) has urged the Federal Government to overhaul Nigeria’s foreign policy framework, calling for a shift toward a trade-driven and investment-focused diplomatic strategy to accelerate economic growth.
The recommendation was contained in a policy research report presented by Sir Victor Walsh Oluwafemi, a member of the Harvard Business Review Advisory Council.
According to the report, Nigeria must move away from what it described as “passive diplomacy” and adopt strategic economic statecraft built on strong bilateral and multilateral trade and investment partnerships.
ADSC warned that global influence is increasingly determined by trade alliances, supply chain integration and cross-border investments, noting that Nigeria risks economic underperformance if its foreign relations are not repositioned to support growth and sustainable development.
The Centre said Nigeria’s current diplomatic engagements remain largely symbolic, with limited impact on industrial expansion, infrastructure development, export growth and job creation.
It described the situation as a missed opportunity considering Nigeria’s economic potential and leadership position in Africa.
The report identified key strategic partners, including China for industrial collaboration and manufacturing expansion, the United Kingdom for financial systems development and governance innovation, and the United Arab Emirates as a gateway for trade logistics and investment inflows.
Germany was highlighted for renewable energy cooperation and industrial development opportunities, while stronger collaboration with South Africa was recommended to deepen intra-African trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area framework. India was also identified as a strategic partner in pharmaceuticals, digital infrastructure and scalable manufacturing.
Beyond bilateral relations, ADSC urged Nigeria to strengthen its participation in multilateral institutions such as the World Trade Organization and emerging economic blocs like BRICS to improve market access and enhance global economic influence.
The Centre also recommended a results-driven governance framework to ensure accountability in international agreements. It proposed the adoption of Policy-as-a-Platform and Results-as-a-Service models to enable measurable tracking of diplomatic outcomes, including investment inflows, export performance and employment generation.
ADSC further called for the repositioning of Nigerian embassies as trade and investment hubs rather than purely diplomatic missions, alongside the creation of joint economic implementation councils with partner countries.
Speaking on the report, Oluwafemi said Nigeria must prioritise execution over ceremonial agreements.
“The difference between a nation that participates in global diplomacy and one that leads global economic transformation lies in execution. Nigeria must move from signing agreements to delivering measurable results that impact industries, jobs and national prosperity,” he said.
He added that bilateral partnerships should serve as structured pipelines for investment, innovation and sustainable development.
The Centre concluded that Nigeria’s future economic growth and global relevance would largely depend on how effectively it leverages international partnerships in an increasingly competitive global economy, urging urgent and strategic action to reposition the country as one of Africa’s most influential economic powers.
