Nigeria was classified as a front line state for supporting the liberation efforts in Southern Africa. During the apartheid era in South Africa, Nigeria was one of the African countries that strongly opposed the system and actively supported the anti-apartheid movements in Southern Africa. Nigeria provided financial and material assistance to the African National Congress (ANC) in South Africa and other anti-apartheid groups in the region. The country also provided scholarships and training for many African students, including those from South Africa, who were denied education by the apartheid regime. As a result of its prominent role in supporting the liberation struggles in Southern Africa, Nigeria was classified as a front line state.