An Assessment of the Impact of Relations with Major Powers on National Security: Nigeria in Perspective

Relations between states under the Westphalia system have been characterized either by power struggles or mutual benefits in all spheres, including politics and the military. It has been conjectured that the foreign policy objectives of major powers normally influence the national security of other states. Nigeria, a country in West Africa, is an example of such a state whose national security is believed to be influenced by its relations with the major powers. An assessment of the degree of such influence on Nigeria’s national security is the focus of this contribution. We point out that there is indeed such influence in areas such as balance of trade, military capacity, societal values and interference with Nigeria’s regional dominance.