Nigeria, April 25 -- For decades, Nigeria has been regarded as the giant of Africa, endowed with enormous economic potential, vast natural resources, demographic advantage, and a historical sense of pan-African responsibility. As the continent's largest and most populous economy, Nigeria occupies a unique and complex geopolitical position within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the broader continental African framework.

Yet this regional and continental leadership has come under increasing scrutiny recently. Mounting domestic challenges, including security threats, economic volatility, and governance shortcomings, have undermined Nigeria's ability to exert sustained influence across West Africa and Africa. At a ...