Professor Aworawo: Nigeria Needs Stronger Assertiveness to Lead Africa Globally

An international relations and strategic studies expert from the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Professor David Aworawo, has put forward the view that Nigeria must enhance its assertive approach in foreign policy to successfully spearhead Africa's demand for global reforms. During an interview with ARISE NEWS on Monday, Aworawo discussed Nigeria's potential role in shaping the continent's international standing.

He contended that while Nigeria is suitably positioned to advocate for African interests, it has not fully leveraged this capacity due to a combination of domestic challenges and insufficient strategic assertiveness on the world stage. "A country's ability to influence globally is directly proportional to its internal structure and level of power," Aworawo stated, observing that Nigeria's national strength has experienced fluctuations over recent decades.

He pointed to Nigeria's Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which has reportedly fallen from approximately $500 billion in 2015 to just over $300 billion currently, indicating stagnation rather than growth. The professor also noted that industrial development remains a weak area, although he acknowledged the recent introduction of a new industrial policy designed to revitalise dormant factories and encourage cluster-based expansion. While agricultural progress is described as encouraging, it is deemed insufficient.

Furthermore, Aworawo identified insecurity as a significant impediment, cautioning that internal instability hampers Nigeria's capacity to project power internationally. "When you're unstable within, you can’t do much in projecting power on the outside," he explained, emphasizing that substantial resources will be required in the upcoming years to tackle the security situation.

He also stressed that internal reforms alone are insufficient. The professor underscored the necessity for Nigeria to overcome what he described as a persistent deficit in foreign policy vision and political will.

Aworawo suggested that this hesitation has diminished Nigeria's international standing. He articulated, "Nigeria needs to be more assertive. Nigeria needs to stand up wherever anything that affects Africa takes place and then stand for Africa. These are the things we can aggregate and put together that will place Africa and Nigeria at the right place and the right condition to be able to pick up that permanent seat on the UN Security Council when the forms are carried out."

Melissa Enoch