In late February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine. Russia has been condemned by all of the world’s superpowers for its unprovoked and senseless invasion, causing thousands of deaths and widespread devastation. The invasion has been the catalyst for a large exodus of Ukrainian citizens, fleeing their homes and searching for new lives elsewhere.
The Russo-Ukrainian war is having a devastating impact on the world’s food and oil prices, as well as causing inflation to rise. Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, is being hit very hard by the war.
This article will further explore this subject, explaining what the Russo-Ukrainian war means for Nigerians:
Russian Involvement
Russia has played a significant role on the African continent in myriad ways. Russia has provided aid, military training, paramilitary security, and trade to African nations, including Nigeria. Russia’s involvement in the African continent has led it to develop strong ties with Nigeria. It was because of this that Nigeria’s leaders did not immediately join the world in condemning Russia, instead first choosing to remain impartial to the attack, stating that Russia, at that time, was only attacking military installations. Nigeria has since condemned Russia strongly for its actions.
International Students
Ukraine’s foreign ministry has confirmed that there are over 5,000 Nigerian students studying in Ukraine. From the data provided by an expert Nigerian news agency, 2,000 of those students arrived back in Nigeria at the start of March. The war in Ukraine has caused a lot of problems for Nigerians that are studying there, causing them to have to abandon their degrees, flee their homes, and return to Africa. Because nobody has any idea when the conflict will end, these students will be unable to return to complete their studies, and because of Ukraine’s current economic situation, there’s no guarantee that they will be reimbursed for their tuition payments.
Nigerian Economy
Over 80% of Nigeria’s export is oil. Nearly 50% of the government’s revenue is derived from this oil. Because of this, and because of the price of oil rising all over the world, Nigeria’s economy is set to be hit severely by the war in Ukraine. This is because the war has led to a huge increase in global oil prices, resulting in nearly $100 per barrel. The price will continue to rise if the conflict is allowed to continue. Because Nigeria’s economy relies on its oil exports, this will be very bad for the nation, its people, and its government. The crisis that it will cause will eventually filter down and cause problems for ordinary working people.
Relationship Maintenance
As already mentioned, Nigeria has close ties to Russia. If Russia’s attack continues and Nigeria goes on condemning it, there’s a chance that Russia will sever ties. This could be very bad for Nigeria and its people. For that reason, Nigeria’s leadership is likely hoping that the invasion will soon end and that diplomacy will prevail so that they can continue the relationship that they have with Russia’s government.
Russia’s conflict with Ukraine has global consequences. It will affect the economies of many different nations, especially Nigeria’s. Peace talks are ongoing and there is some hope that the conflict will be resolved before any more people are killed or displaced.
