Harnessing International Events for National Development: Examining Nigeria's Response to the Russia-Ukraine War

The crisis between Russia and Ukraine is arguably the most significant direct challenge coming particularly from Russia, to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the hegemony of the United States since the end of the Cold War. However, beyond the bilateral and systemic political implications, the Russia-Ukraine crisis has impacted global economies in remarkable ways, altering the economic balance in poor nations and impacting livelihoods in diverse ways in many parts of the world. For developing countries like Nigeria, its impacts would be a function of the quality of policy responses. This study is conceived to examine Nigeria's foreign and domestic policy responses to the Russia-Ukraine crisis, towards determining whether, and to what extent, if at all, Nigeria's national interest is promoted by taking advantage of the economic and political currents created by the war. Specifically, the study analyzes how Nigeria's policy responses to the Russia-Ukraine crisis intersect with her local and international priorities both politically and economically. The study relies on critical content analysis of secondary data. It argues that Nigeria currently operates from a weak foreign policy and internal economic management positions, a reality which undermines her capacity to exploit opportunities presented by the Russia-Ukraine war, for advancing its national interest and development. It recommends a rejigging of Nigeria's foreign policy mechanisms, as well as internal economic management horizons to fully exploit the advantages of global events towards advancing national interests.