Nigeria’s costly diplomacy: Why we must end the father-christmas foreign policy, By Steve Otaloro

For decades, Nigeria has positioned itself as a benevolent giant an African power eager to offer military, diplomatic, and humanitarian assistance to nations in distress. From West Africa to the wider continent, Nigeria has repeatedly stepped forward, spending vast resources to stabilise governments, support liberation struggles, and underwrite peacekeeping missions.

Yet unlike global powers such as Britain, the United States, Russia, or China whose foreign assistance always comes with clear economic or geopolitical benefits Nigeria’s generosity has rarely been tied to strategic gain. Instead, our foreign policy has too often resembled the role of Father Christmas: we give, others receive, and Nigeria gains nothing in return. This must change.

● How other nations “help” with their own interests first

In geopolitics, help is never free. Every major power that intervenes abroad does so with measurable national interest in mind.

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China in Africa builds infrastructure but always in exchange for minerals, markets, and political leverage. Russia in Syria gained permanent military bases and influence.

Britain’s historical interventions were driven by trade routes, resources, and empire-building. The U.S. in Panama, Iraq, and Afghanistan acted with strategic and economic rewards in view not charity.
Across the world, assistance is an investment.

Nigeria’s Contrasting Approach: Giving Without Growing. This is where Nigeria stands apart unfortunately, not in a good way.

● Ghana

Nigeria has long supported Ghana, both diplomatically and economically.

• Nigerian banks, companies, and private investors play a major role in Ghana’s economy.

• Nigerian diaspora remittances significantly boost Ghana’s financial inflows.
• And historically, when Ghana faced severe energy crises, Nigeria stepped in with massive assistance.

Under President Olusegun Obasanjo, Nigeria awarded Ghana a multi-million dollar grant to revive its failing energy sector a gesture so impactful that Ghana named a major road in Accra after Obasanjo.Yet what have Nigerians received in return?

Instead of preferential treatment or strengthened bilateral goodwill, Nigerians in Ghana have been harassed, their businesses shut down, and told repeatedly: “Nigerians must go.”

The same painful contradiction is seen in South Africa, where despite Nigeria’s sacrifice of resources and diplomacy during the apartheid era, Nigerians today face hostility, harassment, and xenophobic violence.

● Liberia

Nigeria spent billions of U.S. dollars through ECOMOG to restore order, yet no reciprocal economic or political gains followed.

●Sierra Leone

Nigeria again committed billions of dollars and thousands of troops to peacekeeping, with no structured long-term benefits.

● South Africa

Nigeria invested political capital and diplomatic pressure in the anti-apartheid struggle, yet today enjoys no special economic concessions but disdain directed at its citizens.

Darfur, Rwanda, and Beyond
From humanitarian aid to troops, Nigeria absorbed the cost—again with no tangible returns.

Technical Aid Corps (TAC)
For decades, Nigeria has sent professionals abroad to strengthen other nations’ institutions, often at Nigeria’s expense, without compensation or strategic partnership.

● The cost of a father-christmas foreign policy

Nigeria’s generosity has drained national resources while enriching or stabilising nations that later attack, mistreat, or marginalise Nigerian citizens.

Where major powers secure:
• trade deals,
• military bases,
• energy rights,
• political alliances,
• or market dominance Nigeria ends up with only symbolic gratitude and even that rarely lasts.

The Way Forward: Strategic Giving, Not Sentimental Diplomacy. Nigeria must urgently redesign its foreign policy to protect national interests.

1. Assistance must come with clear, negotiated returns.

2. No more unconditional grants, interventions, or technical aid.

3. Nigeria must demand trade concessions, diplomatic support, or economic partnerships when offering help.

4. We must stop empowering nations that later shut their borders and attack our citizens. Generosity without strategy is not diplomacy; it is national self-sabotage.

Conclusion:

From Ghana to South Africa, from Liberia to Sierra Leone, Nigeria has poured out goodwill, manpower, and billions and millions of U.S. dollars into peacekeeping, economic assistance, diplomacy, and technical support yet receives very little in return. We have strengthened economies, stabilised governments, and rescued nations in crisis, but the benefits rarely flow back to Nigeria or its people.

This must change.
Going forward, Nigeria’s foreign relations must no longer be restricted to an Africa-centred only emotional diplomacy. Our partnerships must expand globally to any nation, region, or bloc that offers Nigeria real leverage, economic advantage, security benefits, or strategic value. Friendship should not be based on sentiment, history, or brotherhood alone, but on mutual interest and measurable gain.

Nigeria must now adopt the global standard embraced by major powers: if we help you rise, we must rise with you. If we invest in you, our nation must receive returns.
If we build alliances, they must strengthen Nigeria’s future.

Only then will Nigeria’s sacrifices, wealth, and influence finally translate into the respect, security, and prosperity our nation truly deserves.