Nigeria, Dec. 31 -- For decades, Russia has spoken loudly about its intentions in Africa but acted softly when it comes to real financial commitments. Unlike China, the United States, and even India, Russia has consistently failed to back its diplomatic gestures with the credit lines, concessionary loans, and financing guarantees that drive actual development projects. Nigeria, Africa's largest economy and most populous country, provides perhaps the clearest example of Russia's economic inertia. Despite more than 60 years of diplomatic relations and repeated declarations of "strategic partnership," Moscow's presence in Abuja's economic landscape remains marginal. The absence of real financing has left most Russian-Nigerian agreements as e...