Nigeria & Africa’s Moment In Global Governance Reform
By ANITA KNIGHT
WHAT does it take to build a fairer world order? For decades, Africa has asked this question while struggling under global systems designed without its voice. Now, with China’s launch of the Global Governance Initiative (GGI), the conversation has returned with urgency — and Nigeria is uniquely placed to answer.
At the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit in Tianjin, President Xi Jinping framed the GGI as an effort to democratise global governance, insisting that the future of humanity must reflect the voices of all nations, not just the powerful few. For Africa — long excluded from meaningful decision-making at institutions such as the UN Security Council and the World Trade Organisation — the message resonates.
Why Africa Matters
With 54 UN member states and the largest bloc of developing nations, Africa has leverage that cannot be ignored. Its demands for fairness, sovereign equality and people-centred development are not new. From the Group of 77 in 1964 to the calls for a New International Economic Order in the 1970s, Africa has sought a seat at the table. But entrenched global powers have repeatedly resisted.
Today, however, Africa is no longer just petitioning for inclusion — it is indispensable. Demographics, markets, and natural resources give the continent weight in the multipolar order. Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy and diplomatic powerhouse, is at the forefront of this shift.
Nigeria’s Strategic Role
Nigeria’s warm response to the GGI is not accidental. Its recent entry into the BRICS bloc has already expanded its influence, and its peacekeeping history and diplomatic activism provide credibility. Officials in Abuja recognise that the GGI’s pillars — sovereign equality, rule of law, multilateralism, people-centred development, and action — align closely with Nigeria’s own strategic autonomy and the AU’s Agenda 2063.
Chinese officials have underscored Nigeria’s role, with Ambassador Yu Dunhai calling the country “a vital partner in reforming international structures.” Nigerian analysts agree. Charles Onunaiju of the Centre for China Studies notes that the GGI addresses the “obvious deficit in global governance,” while Dr Sam Amadi of the Abuja School of Social and Political Thought argues that Africa must pragmatically seize the moment: “China seeks a bigger role, yes. But this also opens the way to a fairer world. Africa must exploit that convergence.”
Opportunities and Responsibilities
This is more than diplomacy. For Nigeria, translating rhetoric into results will mean concrete policies: expanding renewable energy, building digital innovation hubs, and shaping climate governance. It will also mean pushing for sustainable financing reforms, ensuring Africa is not trapped in perpetual debt dependency.
If it succeeds, Nigeria could emerge as a rule-setter in critical areas — digital policy, climate justice, and equitable trade — and as a bridge between the Global South and competing blocs.
The Challenge Ahead
Sceptics will note that reform will not come easily. Just as Africa’s earlier campaigns for economic justice were frustrated, entrenched powers are unlikely to cede influence willingly. Yet the GGI’s launch, alongside the AU’s Agenda 2063 and Nigeria’s rise within BRICS, suggests momentum is shifting.
The world is entering an era where reform is not optional. The Global South’s economic and demographic power is too significant to ignore. Nigeria, as both a symbol and a strategist, has the chance to ensure Africa is not a bystander but an architect of global rules.
The Editorial View
The Global Governance Initiative is not a silver bullet. But it is a platform — and perhaps the best one Africa has had in decades. For Nigeria, the choice is clear: seize this moment, build alliances, and lead Africa’s push for fairness on the world stage. Failure to act boldly would leave the continent once again spoken for, not spoken with.
The time for Africa’s voice in global governance has arrived. Nigeria must make it count.
