In carrying out these principles, Nigeria participates in the African Union, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Non-Aligned Movement, the Commonwealth of Nations, and the United Nations. ==Nigeria and the liberation of Africa== Upon gaining independence in 1960, Nigeria quickly committed itself to improving the lives of the people of the country and harnessing the resources that remain vital to the economy of the country and her neighbours.
After the Nigerian Independence in 1960, Nigeria demonstrated its seriousness in improving the economy for the people and embarked on nationalizing some multi-national companies that traded with and broke the economic/trade embargo of the apartheid South African regime, the local operations of Barclays Bank was nationalised after that bank ignored the strong protests by the Nigeria populace. Nigeria also nationalised the British Petroleum (BP) for supplying oil to South Africa.
Nigeria became a Commonwealth republic in 1963, when the Governor-General of Nigeria, Nnamdi Azikiwe became the first President of Nigeria. Nigeria was suspended from the Commonwealth of Nations from 1995 until 1999, when its full membership was restored. ==See also== Jaja Wachuku - First Nigerian Foreign Affairs Minister List of diplomatic missions in Nigeria List of diplomatic missions of Nigeria ==References== ==External links== Nigeria and the Commonwealth of Nations
Nigeria has additionally founded regional cooperative efforts in West Africa, functioning as standard-bearer for ECOWAS and ECOMOG, economic and military organisations, respectively. Similarly, when civil war broke out in Angola after the country gained independence from Portugal in 1975, Nigeria mobilised its diplomatic influence in Africa in support of the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA).
In 1977, the new General Olusegun Obasanjo's military regime donated $20 million to the Zimbabwean movement against the apartheid government of Rhodesia.
Nigeria also provided some military training at the Kaduna first mechanised army division and other material support to Joshua Nkomo and Robert Mugabe's guerrilla forces during the Zimbabwe War in 1979 against the white minority rule of Prime Minister Ian Douglas Smith, which was backed by the apartheid -government of South Africa. Due to mismanagement of its economy and technology, Nigeria announced that it was launching a nuclear programme of "unlimited scope" of its own but failed.
In 1982, the Alhaji Shehu Shagari government urged the visiting Pontiff Pope John Paul II to grant audience to the leaders of Southern Africa guerrilla organisations Oliver Tambo of the ANC and Sam Nujoma of SWAPO.
In December 1983, the new Major General Muhammadu Buhari regime announced that Nigeria could no longer afford an apartheid government in Africa. ==Nigeria and West Africa== In pursuing the goal of regional economic cooperation and development, Nigeria helped create ECOWAS, which seeks to harmonise trade and investment practices for its 16 West African member countries, ultimately achieve a full customs union and establish a single currency.
Nigeria also has taken the lead in articulating the views of developing nations on the need for modification of the existing international economic order. Nigeria has played a central role in the ECOWAS efforts to end the civil war in Liberia and contributed the bulk of the ECOWAS peacekeeping forces sent there in 1990.
Nigeria became a Commonwealth republic in 1963, when the Governor-General of Nigeria, Nnamdi Azikiwe became the first President of Nigeria. Nigeria was suspended from the Commonwealth of Nations from 1995 until 1999, when its full membership was restored. ==See also== Jaja Wachuku - First Nigerian Foreign Affairs Minister List of diplomatic missions in Nigeria List of diplomatic missions of Nigeria ==References== ==External links== Nigeria and the Commonwealth of Nations
Nigeria became a Commonwealth republic in 1963, when the Governor-General of Nigeria, Nnamdi Azikiwe became the first President of Nigeria. Nigeria was suspended from the Commonwealth of Nations from 1995 until 1999, when its full membership was restored. ==See also== Jaja Wachuku - First Nigerian Foreign Affairs Minister List of diplomatic missions in Nigeria List of diplomatic missions of Nigeria ==References== ==External links== Nigeria and the Commonwealth of Nations
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