The Africa Development Studies Centre (ADSC) has called for a major overhaul of Nigeria’s foreign policy architecture, urging the country to adopt a more deliberate, trade-driven and investment-focused global engagement strategy to achieve sustainable economic development.
The recommendation is contained in a new policy research report presented by Sir Victor Walsh Oluwafemi, who is also a member of the Harvard Business Review Advisory Council.
According to the report, Nigeria must transition from what it described as “passive diplomacy” to a system of strategic economic statecraft anchored on bilateral and multilateral trade and investment partnerships.
The Centre warned that as global influence becomes increasingly tied to trade alliances, supply chain integration and cross-border investments, Nigeria risks underperforming economically if it fails to reposition its international relationships as instruments of growth and sustainable development.
ADSC noted that Nigeria’s current diplomatic engagements remain largely symbolic, with limited translation into measurable outcomes such as industrial expansion, infrastructure development, export growth and job creation.
It described this gap as a missed opportunity for a country with Nigeria’s economic potential and continental influence.
The report stressed that strengthening bilateral partnerships, especially those centred on trade and investment, has become essential for national development, citing countries that have successfully aligned their foreign policies with economic priorities to achieve rapid transformation.
Among the strategic relationships Nigeria should prioritise, ADSC identified China as a key partner for deeper industrial collaboration and manufacturing expansion beyond infrastructure financing.
It also highlighted the United Kingdom as important for financial systems development, governance innovation and institutional strengthening, while the United Arab Emirates was described as a strategic gateway for trade logistics and foreign investment inflows.
Germany, according to the report, offers opportunities for industrial excellence and renewable energy cooperation, while stronger collaboration with South Africa was recommended to deepen intra-African trade under the framework of the African Continental Free Trade Area.
The report further identified India as a critical partner capable of supporting Nigeria in pharmaceuticals, digital infrastructure and scalable manufacturing systems.
Beyond bilateral ties, ADSC urged Nigeria to strengthen its participation in multilateral institutions such as the World Trade Organization and emerging economic blocs like BRICS to expand market access and enhance global economic influence.
A major recommendation of the report is the adoption of a results-driven governance framework that ensures accountability and measurable outcomes from international agreements.
The Centre proposed the integration of Policy-as-a-Platform (PaaP), a system designed to enable digitally trackable and adaptive policy execution, alongside Results-as-a-Service (RaaS), a model that links diplomatic engagements directly to economic indicators such as investment inflows, export volumes and employment generation.
ADSC also called for the repositioning of Nigerian embassies as active trade and investment hubs rather than purely diplomatic missions.
It further recommended the establishment of joint economic implementation councils with partner nations to ensure agreements are effectively executed and not limited to ceremonial signings.
Speaking on the report, Oluwafemi said Nigeria must shift its focus from signing agreements to delivering tangible economic outcomes.
“The difference between a nation that participates in global diplomacy and one that leads global economic transformation lies in execution. Nigeria must move from signing agreements to delivering measurable results that impact industries, jobs and national prosperity,” he said.
He added that bilateral relationships should become “structured pipelines for investment, innovation and sustainable development.”
The ADSC concluded that Nigeria’s future economic growth and global relevance will depend largely on how effectively it leverages its international partnerships in an increasingly interconnected and competitive world.
The Centre maintained that Nigeria must act with urgency and strategic intent to reposition itself not only as Africa’s largest economy, but also as one of the continent’s most influential and respected economic powers.