The diaspora’s soft power in an age of global anti-Nigerian sentiment

ABSTRACT The global anti-Nigerian sentiment that has engendered the state’s image crisis cannot be denied. This has circumscribed Abuja’s capacity to effectively wield its soft power in Africa and beyond. While successive Nigerian governments have striven to improve the country’s battered image through various initiatives, the state’s image remains negative. There can be no doubt that the diaspora contributes to this image crisis through the activities of Nigerian criminal networks abroad such as drug and human trafficking and advance fee fraud. However, the diaspora has also been critical in counteracting these negative perceptions and so this article examines how the Nigerian diaspora has contributed to soft power by challenging anti-Nigerian sentiment, promoted Nigerian culture, provided remittances, and given technical assistance through the Technical Aid Corps (TAC) scheme.