Domestic and Geopolitical Complexities of Nigeria-Egypt Relations: A Decolonial Perspective

Nigeria and Egypt are Africa’s largest and third largest economies respectively. However, both states have been embroiled in economic, political and security turmoil in recent years. Despite their potential importance, there is a dearth of scholarship which speaks directly to Egypt-Nigeria relations. In terms of bilateral economic relations, trade volumes are rather low and stood at roughly $400m in 2020, something both countries seem eager to improve upon. However, both confront domestic challenges as well as regional and international geopolitical complexities that hamper greater political and economic prosperity. This chapter uses decoloniality as its analytical point of departure. Decoloniality identifies coloniality as the primary cause of global injustice towards the economies and peoples of the Global South. Using Anibal Quijano’s colonial matrices of power, the chapter critiques the regional and international geopolitical complexities and domestic challenges that currently undermine fruitful Nigeria-Egypt bilateral relations. It concludes by offering insights into the prospects for improved bilateral relations between these two sleeping African giants.