UNITED STATES -NIGERIA RELATIONS, 1980-2010

Summary

From the study, it could be seen that the military rule has given Nigeria both a negative and positive effect in the international system, but more of the negative effect was as a result of General Sani Abacha’s regime. Nigeria’s relation with other countries through foreign policies under general Sani Abacha was more of dictatorship between 1993 and 1999. The study took a retrospective view of different policies and lots of human right abuses and violations under the regime which affected and dragged Nigeria’s image in the mind and eyes of the international community.

All military governments in Nigeria from general ironsi’s administration up to General Sani Abacha’s regime have pursued similar goals and objectives especially with Africa has the center piece of their foreign policy objectives. The era of General Sani Abacha in the history of Nigeria foreign policy implementation and execution also had some position impact on the African continent even in the heat of the breakdown of relations with the international community. It is important to stress here that the prevailing domestic and international environment determines the posture and freedom of their actions towards the country interventional relationship with respect to national interest. Implicationally, it can be concluded that the strength and weakness of Nigeria’s domestic,economic, political and social condition has been the major determinant of the direction of the country’s foreign policy, this is mainly because the foreign policy of any independent state is a reflection and extension of its domestic, political economic and social-culture realties.