Post-Colonial Diplomacy and Nigeria’s Relations with France: A Critical Assessment

This study critically examines the diplomatic relationship between Nigeria and France, assessing the extent to which post-colonial dynamics, francophone-anglophone divisions in West Africa, and competing strategic interests shape contemporary bilateral engagement. France has historically maintained a dominant presence in Francophone West Africa through security agreements, economic arrangements, and cultural diplomacy, creating periodic tension with Nigeria's ambitions for regional leadership. Drawing on post-colonial theory and neo-colonialism frameworks, this research analyses key episodes in Nigeria-France relations from 2020 to 2024, including debates over the CFA franc, French military involvement in the Sahel, and bilateral trade. The study employs a qualitative methodology, relying on content analysis of diplomatic statements, Nigerian newspaper editorials, academic literature, and policy reports from the French Institute of International Relations (IFRI) and the NIIA. The research focuses particularly on how Nigeria has responded to French security operations in Mali and Niger, given their proximity to Nigerian borders and their implications for ECOWAS cohesion. Findings are expected to demonstrate that Nigeria-France relations are characterised by formal cordiality masking deeper structural rivalries over West African strategic space. Recommendations address how Nigeria can more effectively assert its regional interests in engagement with French-led initiatives. Keywords: Nigeria-France relations, post-colonial diplomacy, West Africa, francophone-anglophone, strategic rivalry.