The adoption of non-alignment as a principle of Nigeria's foreign policy was aimed at

The adoption of non-alignment as a principle of Nigeria's foreign policy was aimed at insulating Nigeria against having to take sides in the Cold War. Non-alignment is a foreign policy approach in which a country seeks to maintain neutrality and avoid aligning itself with any major power blocs or alliances. During the Cold War, the world was divided into two major power blocs: the Western bloc led by the United States and the Eastern bloc led by the Soviet Union. Many countries were pressured to align themselves with one of these blocs, but Nigeria chose to adopt a policy of non-alignment. By doing so, Nigeria aimed to avoid becoming entangled in the Cold War and to maintain its independence and neutrality. This allowed Nigeria to pursue its own interests and priorities without being dictated to by either of the major power blocs. Furthermore, by adopting non-alignment, Nigeria was able to build relationships with countries from both the Western and Eastern blocs, which helped to expand its influence and build its leadership role in Africa.