The Nexus Between Religion, Foreign Policy, and Nigeria’s Role in Islamic Diplomacy

Religion has historically influenced Nigerian foreign policy in ways that are both explicit and subtextual, shaping Nigeria's memberships in international Islamic organizations, its diplomatic relations with Gulf states, and its posture toward secular versus religious governance models in African and global multilateral forums. Nigeria's membership in the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), which was achieved after significant domestic controversy, reflects the complexity of managing religious identity in a constitutionally secular but religiously diverse state. This study investigates the intersection of religion and foreign policy in Nigeria, with particular attention to Islamic diplomacy as practiced through OIC engagement, bilateral relations with Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Iran, and the domestic political consequences of religiously inflected foreign policy choices. Anchored in the Department of International Relations at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, the research employs a qualitative methodology drawing on analysis of OIC summit resolutions, bilateral agreement records, and interviews with former Nigerian diplomats, Islamic scholars, and Christian civic leaders. Constructivism and the concept of religious soft power frame the analysis. Findings reveal that Nigeria's Islamic diplomacy generates significant economic benefits through Gulf-state investment and diaspora remittances, but also creates domestic political tensions related to perceptions of religious favoritism in foreign policy priorities. The management of sectarian sensitivities in foreign policy decision-making remains institutionally underdeveloped. The study recommends a more explicit and transparent framework for managing religious considerations in Nigerian foreign policy. Keywords: religion, foreign policy, Islamic diplomacy, Nigeria, OIC