Analysing the Asymmetric Power Dynamics in EU-Nigeria Trade Negotiations: An Empirical Assessment

This study empirically analyses the asymmetric power dynamics that characterise EU-Nigeria trade negotiations, using the ECOWAS Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) process as its primary case study. Despite Nigeria's status as Africa's largest economy, critics have argued that EU-Nigeria trade negotiations are characterised by significant structural power imbalances that systematically disadvantage the Nigerian side. This research employs a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative analysis of EU-Nigeria bilateral trade flow data from 2015 to 2024 with qualitative analysis of primary negotiation documents, position papers, and semi-structured interviews with former Nigerian trade negotiators and EU trade policy officials. Drawing on Dependency Theory and the New Regionalism theoretical frameworks, the study tests whether observed trade negotiation outcomes align with predictions from power asymmetry theory or whether counter-narratives of mutual benefit are empirically supportable. Case analysis focuses on specific contested chapters of the EPA negotiation including tariff liberalisation schedules, services trade, and intellectual property provisions. The study fills a gap in empirical research on EU-Africa trade negotiations by generating systematic evidence on negotiation dynamics drawn from Nigerian primary sources, rather than relying solely on EU-produced documentation. Findings are expected to contribute to the scholarly understanding of power, agency, and reciprocity in EU-Africa trade relations. Keywords: EU-Nigeria trade negotiations, power asymmetry, EPA, empirical analysis, trade policy.