Africa and the Emerging Multipolar World Order: Repositioning the Continent through Strategic Diplomacy and Economic Engagement
Author: Oyelayo Daniel Adeyinka is a student of English and International Studies at Osun State University (UNIOSUN). His academic focus extends to literary studies and the intersection of media, diplomacy, and leadership. As an aspiring diplomat and an advocate for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 4, 11, 16, & 17), he is passionate about contributing to international peace, effective communication, and global cooperation. Daniel currently serves as the Academic Coordinator and Assistant General Coordinator of the Deeper Life Campus Fellowship, UNIOSUN Ikire Chapter. Publisher: Fulcrum Analytics.
Introduction
The global power structure has undergone a significant transformation since the end of the Cold War (1947–1991). The unipolar world order, led and dominated by the United States, has gradually given way to a multipolar international system marked by China's emergence, Russia's re-emergence, and new regional behemoths like India and Brazil. This is largely reshuffling international power dynamics, along with governance trends and the distribution of power.
For Africa, this transition is not merely an academic curiosity but a vital and unavoidable step toward global relevance. "Diplomatic repositioning" is herein defined as a conscious structural, economic, and diplomatic adjustment from post-colonial alliances to interest-based coalitions that are more flexible. It entails proactive participation in international governance platforms (such as the G20 and BRICS) as well as increased investment in continental economic integration (such as the AfCFTA) in pursuit of earning collective capacities. Repositioning is thus a strategic tool for attaining a balanced and inclusive voice in the new world order.
This paper argues that Africa's diplomatic repositioning is essential for securing a meaningful voice on the world stage. Using Nigeria as a case study, it will demonstrate how a combination of strategic diplomacy and continental economic engagement provides the necessary conditions for the continent to transition from a symbolic participant to an actual agenda-setting actor in the multipolar world.
Conceptualizing “Repositioning"
The concept of "repositioning" in the African context summarizes the continent's intentional redefinition of its role and membership in the international system. The African experience with the international order in the past has been one of dependency and marginalization, resulting from colonial constructs and post-colonial alignments. Repositioning thus means a revolutionary shift where African nations are relocating from the fringes (/periphery) of world politics to center stage through intentional, concerted, and assertive diplomacy. It signifies both ideological revival and practical reorientation from exploitative altruistic partnerships to mutually beneficial cooperation.
This repositioning unfolds across several dimensions. Ideologically, it involves breaking from inherited dependency models to assert African agency and identity, reviving a sense of self-determination. Diplomatically, it is evident in the continent’s pursuit of fair representation, as seen in renewed demands for permanent seats on the United Nations Security Council and active participation in multilateral forums such as the G20, BRICS, and the African Union. Economically, initiatives like the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which has facilitated over $10 billion in intra-African trade since its 2020 launch, demonstrate a collective effort to enhance self-reliance and strengthen bargaining power in global markets. Structurally, repositioning signifies Africa’s transition from a passive object of global policy to an active subject capable of shaping international norms, particularly in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
With this paradigm shift, Africa seeks not just to increase its presence but to redefine its role, prospects, and possibilities as a proactive partner, contributor, as opposed to a passive participant, in this rapidly unfolding multipolar world order. This paradigm shift is seen in, for instance, Nigeria’s partnership with BRICS as of January 2025, as it recalibrates its diplomatic, political, or trading partnerships in order to embody a new perspective. This paves the way for Africa to move from symbolic participation to agenda-setting influence, as explained further in a case study on Nigeria.
Africa's Strategic Diplomacy in the Multipolar World: The Case of Nigeria
Nigeria's new diplomacy is a practical manifestation of Africa's reorientation in the new multipolar world. As the largest country and economy on the continent, Nigeria has employed its strategic size, endowments, and historic leadership of African matters to project a bigger role in the world. Under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Nigeria's foreign policy has evolved from passive engagement to active engagement, based on the pillars of sovereignty, economic pragmatism, and regional leadership. The path of Nigerian foreign policy engagements post-2023 shows a conscious attempt to situate itself at the center of new centers of global power while maintaining its historical alignments with the West.
A prime illustration of this shift was Nigeria's attendance at the 2025 BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro, during which President Tinubu reasserted Africa's demands for a more representative and equitable world order. His call for reform in global financial
governance, coupled with demands for African representation on decisional forums, was an advanced form of diplomacy reconciling South–South collaboration with progress in national economic interests. Nigeria's formal joining of the BRICS partner nations in January 2025 also diversified its foreign mission and opened up room for further funding prospects separate from traditional Western conditionalities. Similarly, Nigeria's invitation to the 2025 G20 Johannesburg Summit, where the African Union was granted a permanent seat, represented Africa's overall rise globally as well as placed Nigeria at the vanguard of continental leadership.
It is economically closely interwoven with its internal agenda of foreign investment and attraction of trade. President Tinubu embarked on 15 top-level diplomatic trips to nations like China, Brazil, France, and the United Kingdom and secured substantial investments in infrastructure and renewable energy (NAN News, 2025). They include Nigeria's attempt to reposition itself not only as a political force but also as an upsurge economic center with the ability to drive continental growth. It is a complement to continental systems such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) designed to deepen intracontinental markets for Africa and well-poised to negotiate harder on the world stage.
Nigeria's repositioning is also being accomplished on the fronts of peace and security diplomacy. Vice President Kashim Shettima's 2025 address to the 80th United Nations General Assembly was instrumental in emphasizing the need for a representative global presence and reminding the world of Nigeria's hitherto historic contributions to UN peacekeeping missions in Africa. His remarks were symbolic as well as strategic, projecting Nigeria as a voice of stability and a nation deserving of a permanent seat at the UN Security Council. These exhibitions of diplomatic finesse are a new height in Nigerian foreign policy, one seeking to translate goodwill of the past into tangible international influence.
Nigerian leadership has also given voice to Africa in multilateral institutions. Ambassador Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, president of the 74th UN General Assembly (2019-2020), enhanced global discourse on peace, security, and sustainable development with particular reference to African development aspirations (United Nations, n.d.). In the same way, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organization since 2021, has led policy reforms favoring more equitable
trade for developing economies, including negotiations related to vaccine patent waivers and fisheries subsidies (World Trade Organization, n.d.). While such leaders have put African voices at the forefront in multilateral platforms, their actions represent not parochial patronage, but the quest for balance and inclusivity in global management. By connecting the development concerns of Africa to common worldwide objectives of justice, sustainability, and cooperation, they illustrate that the continent's agenda will add value to the global policy agenda without limiting it.
The full membership of the African Union in the G20 since 2023 and Nigeria's participation in the G20 2025 Johannesburg summit still strengthen Africa's growing multilateral diplomacy role (Wikipedia, 2025). The AfCFTA, presently in its fifth year, is a foreign policy instrument that places the policy of external relations within the continental economic agenda. These examples illustrate that Africa's diplomatic repositioning is not rhetoric; it is an evolving, evidence-based practice of taking space and crafting voice in the new multipolar order.
Conclusion and Policy Implications
In today’s multipolar world order, the foreign shift of Africa can no longer be seen as a simple declaration of intent. Its involvement, ranging from the foreign policy posture of Nigeria to the presence of the African Union at the multilateral level, gives the indication of a marked shift from being a bystander to becoming a force to reshape global governance arrangements. But to sustain this success and translate visibility into influence, Africa needs to strengthen internal cohesion.
First, for effective agenda-setting, the continent must speak with a single voice. African nations must build the African Union’s capacity to negotiate collectively at the G20, BRICS, and UN levels. A fragmented approach dilutes influence; collective diplomatic representation is what builds true negotiation power.
Secondly, Africa should seek to achieve economic independence by means of industrialization and trade integration. This can be achieved mainly by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), whose success relies on intra-African trade being the core of international economic power on the African Continent.
Thirdly, the credibility of governance and leadership remains paramount. International respect can only be achieved by performance and not by presence. African states must
therefore continue to improve their transparency and stability to achieve international recognition to transform into partnerships.
Finally, strategic partnerships should be built on principles, not patronage. Whether engaging with China, the United States, or other partners in the Global South, Africa must base its relations on equality and mutual development interests. Nigeria’s evolving diplomacy embodies how African nations can balance diverse relationships while asserting independence. And if this happens, the role of Africa in a multipolar world would go beyond being a matter of token representation. Africa would no longer aspire to get a place at the table; instead, it would help to shape a new set of ideas that would influence the future of the world. This shift holds a vision as well as a strategy that would lead to a just future.
References
Africa at LSE: “After five years, Africa needs to guard against AfCFTA complacency” by Bereket Alemayehu Hagos (October 15th, 2025).
African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). (n.d.). Trade Data from Trade Law Centre (TRALAC) reports.
NAN News: “BRICS Summit: Tinubu urges reforms, more inclusion for Africa.” (nannews.ng; July 7, 2025).
Director-General: Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. (n.d.). World Trade Organization. (From thewto.org).
Nigeria Info FM: “Full text of Kashim Shettima's address at the UN General Assembly 80.” (September 25, 2025).
Fletcher Forum of World Affairs: “Navigating Multipolarity: Africa's Path to Sovereignty” By Christopher Zambakari.
“Nigeria joins BRICS as a partner country” By gov.br Published in Jan 17, 2025.
Institute For African Empowerment-IAE: “Repositioning African Union in a Multipolar World.” By Effiom / March 26, 2025.
“Repositioning Africa at the crossroads of a new world order”. By Karim Anjarwalla / January 30, 2025; (Written and posted on Medium).
Tribune Online: “Timeline of Tinubu's foreign 'working vacation' trips in two years”. (Israel Arogbonlo / September 4, 2025).
United Nations General Assembly of the United Nations: “74th Session: Tijjani Muhammad-Bande”. (n.d.). (From www.un.org/en/ga/president/74/)
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