The foreign policy orientation of Nigeria under President Muhammadu Buhari (2015–2023) marked a deliberate return to continental assertiveness and strategic realism, shaped significantly by his personality and security background. Buhari’s tenure, although contested domestically on several fronts, notably recalibrated Nigeria’s standing within Africa. It repositioned the country not only as a moral voice but also as a central stabilizing force in African diplomacy, especially in the West African sub-region.
This article follows up on my earlier work, “Muhammadu Buhari and Nigerian West Africa Policy: A Tribute” (July 14, 2025), which explored Buhari’s regional leadership within West Africa. Building on that foundation, this analysis examines key developments and policy decisions that shaped Nigeria’s broader African foreign policy during his presidency. These include Nigeria’s ratification of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), the Chadian succession crisis, the government’s response to xenophobic attacks in South Africa, interactions with multinational corporations, military cooperation with the United States, the P&ID arbitration scandal, and the diplomatic implications of Buhari’s extended medical absences abroad. Together, these events illustrate how Buhari’s personal disposition and strategic preferences influenced Nigeria’s foreign posture during a critical period of continental realignment.
When Buhari assumed office in May 2015, Nigeria was diplomatically diminished. The preceding years had seen a waning of regional leadership and an inward-looking posture in foreign affairs. Buhari’s initial visits to neighboring African states and his speech at the African Union Summit in 2015 signaled a renewed commitment to multilateral diplomacy. He emphasized the interconnectedness of peace, economic development, and political stability in Africa, thereby framing Nigeria’s foreign engagements through a lens of collective security.
One of Buhari’s most consequential policy decisions was Nigeria’s eventual ratification of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement in 2019. Initially hesitant due to domestic concerns over local industries, Buhari eventually chose to align Nigeria with the continental trade pact. His endorsement followed a prolonged consultative process and reflected a strategic calculation that Nigeria, as Africa’s largest economy, could not remain aloof from a framework that promised to reshape intra-African trade. His decision reaffirmed Nigeria’s leadership role and signaled to other member states that national interest and regional integration could coexist in a coherent foreign policy agenda.
The unexpected death of President Idriss Déby of Chad in April 2021 presented one of the most critical regional challenges during Buhari’s presidency. Déby had been a key figure in the fight against Boko Haram and a strategic partner in the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF). His death raised the specter of destabilization in the Lake Chad Basin.
President Buhari responded with a combination of pragmatism and quiet diplomacy. Nigeria offered immediate diplomatic support to the Transitional Military Council led by Mahamat Déby, the late president’s son. Although some observers criticized this endorsement as acquiescence to military rule, Buhari prioritized regional stability over normative democratic concerns. His decision was informed by his long-standing belief that the preservation of state order and regional security should guide foreign policy. By maintaining Nigeria’s influence in Chad’s political transition, Buhari ensured that Nigeria retained strategic leverage in Sahelian security matters.
Nigeria’s bilateral relations with South Africa was tested during the 2019 wave of xenophobic attacks targeting African nationals, including Nigerians. The domestic clamor for retaliation within Nigeria was intense. However, President Buhari adopted a measured response. He recalled Nigeria’s High Commissioner, summoned the South African envoy, and dispatched a special delegation to engage with South African authorities. Additionally, the government facilitated the voluntary repatriation of hundreds of Nigerians.
While some critics described the response as overly cautious, Buhari’s strategy effectively avoided diplomatic escalation. It also allowed Nigeria to assert its protective obligations to its diaspora population without compromising broader bilateral ties. The episode demonstrated Buhari’s capacity for restrained statecraft in moments of continental tension.
Under Buhari, Nigeria took a more assertive approach toward foreign multinational corporations operating within its territory. One of the most significant episodes involved MTN Nigeria, which was fined $5.2 billion in 2015 by the Nigerian Communications Commission for failing to deactivate unregistered SIM cards. Although the penalty was subsequently reduced, the Buhari administration insisted on regulatory compliance and emphasized national security considerations.
This assertiveness extended beyond telecommunications. Buhari’s government intensified pressure on international oil companies regarding tax compliance and environmental responsibilities in the Niger Delta. His administration’s approach underscored a shift from the previously passive regulatory environment to one where corporate accountability was integrated into foreign economic relations. While such measures strained relations with some investors, they were interpreted domestically as efforts to reassert economic sovereignty.
One of the more complex foreign policy undertakings during Buhari’s tenure was the acquisition of A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft from the United States. The $500 million deal represented a significant enhancement of Nigeria’s counterinsurgency capabilities. However, the agreement included human rights-related conditions attached to the deployment of the aircraft, particularly in regions with civilian populations.
These conditions underscored Nigeria’s dependence on external military support and exposed the government to domestic criticism concerning sovereignty. Nevertheless, the acquisition of the Super Tucanos was a calculated compromise. Buhari accepted the terms in exchange for advanced weaponry that Nigerian forces lacked. His decision exemplified a realist approach to military diplomacy, where practical security imperatives were prioritized over symbolic assertions of autonomy.
The case involving Process and Industrial Developments Limited (P&ID) represented a significant foreign policy embarrassment during Buhari’s presidency. In 2017, a UK tribunal awarded P&ID $9.6 billion in damages against Nigeria over a failed gas-processing project signed in 2010. Although the contract predated Buhari’s administration, the delay in responding to the legal challenge magnified its diplomatic cost.
Only after considerable reputational damage did the Buhari administration initiate a coordinated legal and diplomatic counter-offensive, alleging fraud and impropriety in the original agreement. While progress was eventually made in challenging the judgment, the episode revealed systemic weaknesses in Nigeria’s contractual governance and external legal engagement. It served as a cautionary tale about the intersection of domestic bureaucratic failure and international legal vulnerability.
Buhari’s long medical absences in London, especially between 2016 and 2017, had implications for Nigeria’s international visibility. His extended periods away from the country were accompanied by limited public communication and occasional diplomatic uncertainty. Although Vice President Yemi Osinbajo acted in his stead during some of these absences, Nigeria’s physical representation at international summits was inconsistent.
These absences weakened the perception of Nigeria’s leadership, particularly in time-sensitive diplomatic arenas such as the AU and ECOWAS. While Buhari’s moral authority and administrative continuity largely sustained Nigeria’s role, the lack of consistent physical engagement limited the country’s ability to influence fast-evolving multilateral processes.
Muhammadu Buhari’s foreign policy between 2015 and 2023 can be characterized by cautious realism, regional security prioritization, and a return to foundational principles of African solidarity. His approach was shaped by a sober, military-informed worldview that emphasized stability over ideological adventurism. Although his administration exhibited moments of inertia and was occasionally reactive rather than anticipatory, it restored Nigeria’s credibility within the AU, recalibrated relations with neighboring states, and asserted national interests in dealings with powerful multinational corporations.
Buhari’s Africa-centered policy framework has left a mixed but largely stabilizing legacy. His successor, President Tinubu, currently grappling with an ECOWAS broken by his rollercoaster ride and managing the implementation of AfCFTA, must now expand on the foundational gains made under Buhari’s time. As the regional and continental environment continues to evolve, the relevance of Buhari’s strategic restraint and principled leadership remains instructive for Nigeria’s future in African diplomacy.
