Nigeria's departure from pro-west policy during the Murtala Muhammed regime was as a result of

Nigeria's departure from pro-west policy during the Murtala Muhammed regime was primarily driven by its concern for decolonization in Africa. Nigeria, under Murtala Muhammed's leadership, was committed to promoting the interests of African nations and achieving independence for other African countries that were still under colonial rule. This was reflected in Nigeria's foreign policy, which emphasized solidarity with other African nations and non-alignment with any superpower blocs. Nigeria's increased international influence and growing trade with the East may have also played a role, but they were not the primary drivers of the shift in policy. The economic interests of the West in Nigeria were not a major factor in this shift, although they may have contributed to some tensions between Nigeria and Western nations.