The Belt and Road Initiative and Its Implications for Nigeria’s Foreign Policy Choices

This study investigates the implications of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) for Nigeria's foreign policy autonomy and its bilateral relations with both China and Western partners. China's BRI has emerged as one of the most consequential geopolitical infrastructure projects of the twenty-first century, channelling investment into roads, ports, railways, and digital infrastructure across Asia, Africa, and beyond. Nigeria has engaged with BRI-related financing for railway and highway projects, raising questions about debt sustainability, strategic dependency, and Nigeria's ability to maintain an independent foreign policy posture. Drawing on geopolitical competition theory and the concept of infrastructure geopolitics, this research analyses Nigeria's engagement with BRI-affiliated projects from 2019 to 2024 and the diplomatic signals this sends to alternative partners including the United States and the European Union. The study employs a qualitative methodology, relying on loan agreement documentation, diplomatic communiques, investigative journalism, and academic literature. Interviews with economists at the University of Ibadan and officials at the Debt Management Office provide primary perspectives. Findings are expected to show that Nigeria's BRI engagement has expanded infrastructure but at the cost of diplomatic flexibility and growing concerns about strategic dependence. Recommendations address diversification of infrastructure financing and the need for transparent public disclosure of BRI loan terms. Keywords: Belt and Road Initiative, Nigeria, China, infrastructure geopolitics, foreign policy autonomy.