Give reasons to show that Nigeria is a non-aligned nation.

Answer Details

Non-alignment is a foreign policy of refusing to be permanently tied to any of the rival power blocs (during the Cold War, the Western capitalist bloc led by the USA and the Eastern communist bloc led by the USSR). The following reasons show that Nigeria is a non-aligned nation.

1. Membership of the Non-Aligned Movement: Nigeria is a founding-era and active member of the Non-Aligned Movement, formally committing it to the policy of non-alignment.
2. Refusal to join any military alliance: Nigeria has never joined either NATO (Western) or the former Warsaw Pact (Eastern) military blocs, keeping it free of bloc obligations.
3. Judging issues on their merit: Nigeria decides its position on international issues on the basis of their justice and its own national interest, not on the dictates of any power bloc.
4. Trade and diplomatic relations with both blocs: Nigeria maintains economic, diplomatic and technical relations with both capitalist and communist countries without discrimination.
5. Support for decolonisation and anti-imperialism: Nigeria consistently supported liberation movements and opposed colonialism, apartheid and racism, a hallmark of the non-aligned position.
6. Freedom of action in foreign policy: Nigeria retains the freedom to formulate and pursue an independent foreign policy centred on African interests without external control.