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Nigeria is an important and highly endowed Anglophone African country that is encircled by relatively weak and poor Francophone countries. One of the reasons the country is referred to as the giant of Africa is its demography. At various times it has borne the brunt expected of hegemonies and confronted its attendant consequences. It against this backdrop that this study, therefore, addresses the challenges and burden of leadership facing Nigeria for reasons of promoting and sustaining good neighbourliness. It also evaluates the situation of the country´s national security in West and Central Africa. Furthermore, it focuses on the French factor, borders and post Cold War realities in Nigeria´s relations with these neighbours. It dwells specifically on the demands of security in today´s international relations especially the emerging security and strategic issues of the war on terror, free movement of persons in West and Central Africa, Bakassi Peninsula and the Gulf of Guinea. The study is a modest contribution to knowledge useful for students of International Relations, Geopolitics, Security Studies and general readers that are interested in Africa´s international relations.

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Funso ADESOLA is a product of two Nigerian first generation Universities at Ile-Ife and Benin. He is a Ph. D. holder and Senior Lecturer in the Department of International Relations, OAU, Ile-Ife. He was a State Alumnus on SUSI Programme in Gainesville. His research interests are on security, geopolitics and international relations of Africa.

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