Multilateralism and National Development: An Assessment of Nigeria’s Roles in the Development of International Organizations (IO) in Africa (1960-2025)

Abstract

Nigeria’s participation in international organizations (IOs) has been a cornerstone of its foreign policy since gaining independence. Despite being a founding member of various IOs, including the African Union (AU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Nigeria’s engagement has not yielded the expected benefits. Based on this backdrop, this research investigates Nigeria’s participation in IOs and the role of Nigeria’s multilateral foreign policy in the development of Nigeria. Qualitative methods and liberal institutionalism were used to investigate Nigeria’s role in IOs in Africa. It has been revealed that despite Nigeria’s active participation and contribution to these organizations, they do not benefit as they should. This study has demonstrated that Nigeria played a significant role as a regional leader within African multilateral organizations, particularly the African Union (AU) and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Nigeria had contributed to regional security and promoted trade and cooperation. Thestudy recommends that Nigeria should be more conscious of its gains while pursuing its multifaceted foreign policy.