Nigeria applies soft diplomacy in Africa through

1. Analyze the question The question asks which of the options is a form of soft diplomacy that Nigeria uses in Africa.

2. Explain the concept Soft diplomacy (or soft power) means influencing other countries through attraction, cooperation, aid, culture, and goodwill rather than through force, threats, or economic coercion. Examples include development assistance, scholarships, cultural exchange, and the sharing of skills.

3. Work through the options

• A. Encouraging capitalism in Africa: This is an economic ideology, not a Nigerian foreign policy instrument. Nigeria does not run a programme to spread capitalism. ❌
• B. Promotion of bilateral relations: This is a general method of conducting diplomacy. It is not specific to soft diplomacy, and it covers both hard and soft approaches. It is a plausible but less precise choice. ❌
• C. Disengagement in UN Peacekeeping Operations: Nigeria has actually been a major contributor to UN and AU peacekeeping, so this is false. Peacekeeping is also more of a hard-power or security tool. ❌
• D. Technical Aid Corps (TAC) programme: Launched in 1987, this scheme sends Nigerian professionals such as doctors, engineers, lawyers, and teachers to other African, Caribbean, and Pacific countries to provide skilled manpower at no cost to the host country. It builds goodwill and influence without force. This is the classic example of Nigeria's soft diplomacy. ✅

4. Answer The correct option is D. Technical Aid Corps programme.

5. Exam tip When you see "soft power" or "soft diplomacy" in Nigerian foreign policy questions, think of Technical Aid Corps (TAC), which is also linked to the "Africa as the centerpiece of Nigeria's foreign policy" idea. Eliminate options involving force, ideology, or withdrawal first.