1 Re-thinking Nigeria’s Foreign Policy Approach to Continental Integration: Policy Perspectives Babatunde Fagbayibo Introduction An inherent feature of the praxis of international relations is the existence of pivotal states or regional hegemons. These states possess the capacity to set the tone and/or shape strong bilateral and/or multilateral arrangements. Emboldened by factors such as a huge population, a strong army and a big economy, they have the geo-strategic advantage to determine, for good or bad, the direction of events and actions. In the multilateral context, regional hegemons have played important roles in the creation of global and regional organisations. The United Nations (UN), Bretton Woods institutions, North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), European Union (EU), and the African Union (AU) are some of the organisations that owe their existence to powerful countries. The centrality of regional hegemons to the success, or lack thereof, of regional integration initiatives forms the general framework of discourse of this article. In this context, the article examines Nigeria’s contribution to continental integration efforts thus far, and how this can be enhanced. Having made Africa the focal point of its foreign policy since the 1960s, Nigeria has, over the years, contributed immensely to the development of the African continent. As a regional hegemon, successive Nigerian governments have consistently championed efforts aimed at enhancing the integration and connectedness, at both sub-regional and continental levels, of African countries. The creation of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the transformation of the Organisation of African unity (OAU) to the AU, the establishment of the New partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) and the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), the contribution to peace-keeping and peace-making efforts across the continent, and considerable financial commitment to regional integration efforts, can be listed as some of Nigeria’s achievements. Questions can then be asked as to why these contributions have not made a significant impact on the attainment of the desired continental integration. While the inability to achieve qualitative