Since 2023, the relationship between Nigeria and France has taken a disturbing turn, as President Tinubu’s administration appears to be steering the country into a neocolonial orbit controlled by France. Despite the massive investments France has made in Nigeria, the French government has a long history of destabilizing the Nigerian state, from supporting Biafra during the Civil War to allegedly funding insurgent groups like Boko Haram and Lakurawa. Now, with the recent Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Nigeria’s Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and France on tax collection, there is growing concern that Tinubu’s government is not merely pursuing diplomatic and economic ties, but is rather sacrificing Nigeria’s sovereignty in exchange for short-term gains, all while allowing France to recoup its colonial losses at Nigeria’s expense.
Nigeria has long been regarded as the dominant force in West Africa and has served as the bankroller of ECOWAS. This role has allowed Nigeria to influence political and economic developments across the region, and to act as a counterweight to foreign powers, especially France, that are attempting to exploit the region’s resources. However, under Tinubu’s watch, Nigeria has abandoned this mantle, instead prioritizing French interests to the detriment of Nigeria’s own position in the region.
One of the most significant departures under Tinubu’s administration is Nigeria’s posture within ECOWAS. Historically, successive Nigerian governments, both military and civilian, actively resisted and contained French influence within the Francophone bloc of the organization, which positioned Nigeria as the primary counterweight to France’s dominance in West African affairs. Nigeria’s financial contributions and political leadership ensured that ECOWAS did not become an extension of French regional interests. However, under Tinubu, this long-standing approach appears to be weakening. France, a former colonial power with enduring political and economic interests in Francophone West Africa, has traditionally sought to advance its agenda through allied states within ECOWAS. Tinubu’s administration, rather than firmly safeguarding Nigeria’s leadership role, appears increasingly accommodating of French interests, a shift that risks eroding Nigeria’s influence and undermining its historic role as the bloc’s balancing force.
France’s actions have not been confined to undermining Nigeria’s influence in West Africa. The French government has long been involved in destabilizing Nigeria, both directly and indirectly, through various means. This can be traced back to the Nigerian Civil War (1967-1970), during which France supported the Biafran secessionists, despite Nigeria’s unity being central to the stability of the region. France’s support for Biafra was not just ideological but also economic, as it aimed to gain access to Nigeria’s vast oil reserves.
Another action by France to destabilize Nigeria was the conflict between Nigeria and Cameroon over the Bakassi Peninsula, which France fueled. Another action is the French indirect support for smuggling operations into Nigeria. These actions have consistently undermined Nigeria’s security and territorial integrity.
Perhaps the most disturbing allegation is France’s role in the rise of Boko Haram, the Islamist terrorist group that has wreaked havoc in northeastern Nigeria for over a decade. There have been repeated accusations that France, either through direct or indirect support, has helped fuel the insurgency, making Nigeria’s fight against Boko Haram even more difficult. While there is no direct evidence linking the French government to Boko Haram, it is clear that France’s actions in the region have played a role in exacerbating Nigeria’s security crisis.
The MoU between Nigeria’s FIRS and France on tax collection is one of the most egregious examples of the neocolonial relationship developing between the two countries. Under this agreement, France will assist Nigeria in collecting taxes, specifically targeting multinational corporations operating within the country. On the surface, this agreement may seem like a beneficial arrangement for Nigeria. However, the reality is far more troubling.
For one, it raises serious questions about Nigeria’s sovereignty over its own financial systems. The MoU places France, a foreign power, in a position where it can directly influence Nigeria’s tax policies. This is an unprecedented level of interference, and it is deeply concerning that Nigeria’s government, under Tinubu’s leadership, would allow such an arrangement. France’s involvement in Nigeria’s tax collection is nothing short of an attempt to exert control over the country’s economic activities, further tightening its grip on Nigeria’s resources.
Moreover, this agreement may very well be part of a larger French strategy to recoup what it lost in the wake of its expulsion from the Sahel. The “colonial tax” France imposed on its former colonies sustained a system of economic exploitation that allowed the extraction of resources and wealth from the continent. As these former colonies in the Sahel threw it out, France lost much of its direct control over the region. However, the tax collection MoU with Nigeria may signal a French attempt to regain some of that lost power, by positioning itself as a gatekeeper of Nigeria’s economic policies.
Is President Tinubu indirectly handing Nigeria to France? By signing an agreement that places French interests at the center of Nigeria’s financial operations, is he trading away Nigeria’s sovereignty for temporary economic gain? This is not a question to be taken lightly.
Nigeria has always prided itself on its independence, both politically and economically. The country’s resistance to foreign domination has been a key element of its identity since gaining independence in 1960. However, Tinubu’s actions, from his soft stance on ECOWAS to the MoU with France, suggest that this sovereignty is now under threat.
The direction in which Tinubu is taking Nigeria is deeply concerning. Rather than championing Nigeria’s interests and ensuring the country remains a leader in West Africa, the president’s actions suggest a willingness to serve France’s interests, even at the cost of Nigeria’s sovereignty. From undermining Nigeria’s regional influence to allowing France to play a role in Nigeria’s financial systems, it is clear that Tinubu is paving the way for a neocolonial future where Nigeria is subservient to foreign powers.
As Nigerians watch this unfolding relationship, one must ask: Is this the price of economic stability, or is Nigeria selling its soul for short-term gains at the expense of its long-term sovereignty? Only time will tell, but the current trajectory is undeniably troubling.
