View source for Chad–Nigeria relations

{{update|date=June 2014}}
{{Infobox Bilateral relations|Chadian-Nigerian|Chad|Nigeria}}
As of the late 1980s, [[Nigeria]] considered [[France]] its primary rival in its attempt to chart the course of [[West Africa]]'s political development.<ref name=":0">{{Cite encyclopedia|last=|first=|title=Chad: A Country Study|url=https://www.loc.gov/item/89600373/|encyclopedia=|date=1990|publisher=[[Federal Research Division]], [[Library of Congress]]|editor-last=Collelo|editor-first=Thomas|year=|isbn=0-16-024770-5|edition=2nd|location=Washington, D.C.|pages=162-163|postscript=. {{PD-notice}}}}</ref> Its generally paternalistic relations with [[Chad]] intensified after the [[coup]] that ousted [[President of Chad|President]] [[François Tombalbaye]] in 1975.<ref name=":0" /> After that, limiting [[Libya]]n expansion while avoiding direct clashes with Libyan troops also became important goals.<ref name=":0" /> Nigeria sponsored talks among Chad's rival factions in 1979 and promoted a little-known civil servant, [[Lol Mahamat Choua|Mahmat Shawa Lol]], as a compromise head of a coalition government.<ref name=":0" /> Lol's perceived status as a Nigerian puppet contributed to mounting opposition during his short term as president in 1979.<ref name=":0" />
The two nations forged stronger ties during the 1980s.<ref name=":0" /> Hoping to benefit commercially and diplomatically by expanding regional [[trade]] relations, Nigeria replaced [[France]] as Chad's major source of export revenues.<ref name=":0" /> Bilateral trade agreements involved Chadian exports of [[livestock]], dried [[fish]], and chemicals and imports of Nigerian foodstuffs and manufactured goods.<ref name=":0" /> Both governments also recognized the potential value of the large informal trade sector across their borders, which neither country regulated.<ref name=":0" /> In addition, Nigerian industry and commerce employed several thousand Chadian workers.<ref name=":0" /> Both nations have seats on the [[United Nations Security Council]].
Chad's relationship with Nigeria was not without its strains, however.<ref name=":0" /> Beginning in the late 1970s, clashes occurred around [[Lake Chad]], where both countries hoped to exploit [[oil]] reserves.<ref name=":0" /> Both also sought to defuse these confrontations, first by establishing joint patrols and a commission to demarcate the boundary across the lake more clearly.<ref name=":0" /> Then in the early 1980s, the low level of [[Lake Chad]] brought a series of tiny [[island]]s into view, leading to further disputes and disrupting long-standing informal trade networks.<ref name=":0" />
This relationship was also complicated by Nigeria's own instability in the north, generated by rising [[Islamic fundamentalism]].<ref name=":0" /> Thousands of casualties occurred as the result of violent clashes in Nigeria throughout the 1980s.<ref name=":0" /> Most [[religious violence]] was domestic in origin, but Nigerian police arrested a few Libyans, and Nigerian apprehension of Libyan infiltration through Chad intensified.<ref name=":0" />
Nigeria's 1983 economic austerity campaign also produced strains with neighboring states, including Chad.<ref name=":0" /> Nigeria expelled several hundred thousand foreign workers, mostly from its [[oil industry]], which faced drastic cuts as a result of declining world [[oil price]]s.<ref name=":0" /> At least 30,000 of those expelled were Chadians.<ref name=":0" /> Despite these strains, however, Nigerians had assisted in the halting process of achieving stability in Chad, and both nations reaffirmed their intention to maintain close ties.<ref name=":0" />
== Cooperation on fighting Boko Haram ==
In May 2014, in the wake of the [[Chibok schoolgirl kidnapping]],
<blockquote>
[[Chad]]'s minister of national defense, Benaindo Tatola, met with [[Cameroon]]'s defense minister Edgard Allain Mebe Ngo'o in [[Yaounde]]. "Ngo'o said Chad had also deployed troops to work together with Cameroonian forces on the borders with Nigeria. He also said troops from the two countries will cross into Nigeria and fight [[Boko Haram]] in collaboration with Nigerian forces."<ref name = "reliefweb">{{Cite web
| title = Cameroon, Chad Deploy Troops to Fight Boko Haram - Nigeria
| work = ReliefWeb
| accessdate = 2014-06-10
| url = http://reliefweb.int/report/nigeria/cameroon-chad-deploy-troops-fight-boko-haram
}}</ref>
</blockquote>
==See also==
* [[Foreign relations of Chad]]
* [[Foreign relations of Nigeria]]
==References==
{{reflist}}
==Further reading==
*Omede, [http://www.krepublishers.com/02-Journals/T%20&%20T/T%20&%20T-04-0-000-000-2006-Web/T%20&%20T-04-1-001-076-2006-Abst-PDF/T%20&%20T-04-1-007-017-2006-066-Omede-A-J/T%20&%20T-04-1-007-017-2006-066-Omede-A-J-Text.pdf Nigeria's relationship with its neignbours], 2006
{{Foreign relations of Chad}}
{{Foreign relations of Nigeria}}
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[[Category:Chad–Nigeria relations| ]]
[[Category:Bilateral relations of Chad|Nigeria]]
[[Category:Bilateral relations of Nigeria]]