Which of the following reasons best explains why Nigeria during the first republic, could not pursue an independent foreign policy?
Answer Details
During Nigeria's first republic, Nigeria was unable to pursue an independent foreign policy because of its economic dependence on Western countries. Nigeria's economy was heavily dependent on the export of primary products such as crude oil, cocoa, and groundnut, which were mainly exported to Western countries. As a result, the Nigerian government was unable to take any decision that would have been detrimental to the economic interest of Western countries, which Nigeria relied upon for its foreign exchange earnings. Therefore, Nigeria's foreign policy was greatly influenced by its economic interests and this prevented it from pursuing an independent foreign policy.