Abstract:
Nigeria‘s relations with the rest of the world are not limited to ties with past
colonial powers such as the United Kingdom and the West. In recent decades, China
has become a global competitor challenging colonial powers and the United States.
Beijing has also emerged as a major player on the continent, establishing footprints
in many African countries. Chinese institutions have ramped up infrastructure
development, loan support, and aid delivery to nearly all African states. This is
presumably to improve China‘s global reputation. As a case study, the thesis focused
on China‘s health diplomacy with Nigeria during the Ebola epidemic and the
Coronavirus pandemic. The period between 2014 and 2020 has been a significant
period for China‘s relations with Nigeria, with both opportunities and challenges.
The thesis focuses on the concept of ‗soft power‘ adopted by the neo-liberal
American scholar, Joseph Nye. It argues that China is using health diplomacy as a
tool and strategy for boosting its relationship with Nigeria. A quantitative research
method has been applied through a survey to understand the perception of the
Nigerian population towards China. As a result, a significant conclusion from the
study argues that China's influence in Nigeria is effective. However, many Nigerians
still have an unfavorable opinion about Chinese soft power in the country.
