Trends, Compliance Theory within the Bakassi Conflict and 21st Century Challenges to Nigeria’s Foreign Policy.

Conflicts between states is not a new thing, just as conflicts between human beings are unavoidable as a result of both state and human interactions on daily basis. Nigeria the “presumed giant of Africa” was caught in a conflict with her neighbour Cameroon baptized as “Africa in miniature”, and had to settle the Bakassi conflict amicably after some standoffs under the ICJ. The Foreign Policies of Nigeria from Independence has swung from one leader to another depending on the circumstances especially with the Bakassi palaver. This paper has a goal to systematically analyze Nigeria’s foreign policy paying attention to the transformational phases that were both inter and intra. This work went forth to look at the changes that occurred within the Foreign Policy of Nigeria after the Bakassi verdict with the Compliance Theory at work and lastly, it dwells on the Foreign policy challenges that Nigeria faces as the big man in Africa. This work espoused that the significant historical developmental trends that shaped the Foreign Policy of Nigeria were its Pan-Africanism and economic diplomacy drive backed by her support for African unity. More so, this work diagnosed that the peaceful settlement of conflicts by Nigeria took centre stage especially after the implementation of Bakassi verdict and a great challenge Nigeria faces now is the fight against Terrorism perpetrated by Boko Haram. This paper settles on the fact that, in order for Nigeria to be seen as the hegemon in Africa, her foreign policy has to be pragmatic and flexible reflecting events within Nigeria, on the continent and internationally especially with the advent of COVID-19, implementation of the Abuja High Court Verdict on the “NERA 10” and deepening Xenophobia against Nigerians in South Africa and among others.