Russia and Ukraine War and Nigeria Trade Relations with Ukraine

The Russia-Ukraine war which started in 2022 has had profound global repercussions, affecting economies, supply chains, and international trade dynamics. The conflict's impact extends beyond Europe, with significant disruptions to global food and energy markets, adversely affecting nations reliant on agricultural imports and exports. Nigeria, a key trade partner with Ukraine, particularly in sectors like agriculture, has faced substantial economic challenges due to these disruptions. This paper aims to assess the implications of the Russia-Ukraine war on Nigeria's trade relations with Ukraine, examining both the pre-war trading landscape and the subsequent economic fallout. The study adopts secondary sources of data through text books, Journals, monograph, publish and published research work to gain insight in the topic under investigation. The Offensive Realism theory was adopted as its framework of analysis, providing insight into the power struggles and security dilemmas that shape nations' actions and contribute to global instability. Findings reveal that prior to the war, Nigeria maintained a strong trade relationship with Ukraine, primarily focused on imports of wheat and agricultural products. However, the conflict has disrupted these trade flows, leading to price volatility, supply shortages, and broader economic instability in Nigeria. The study recommends that, Nigeria should diversify its import sources for key commodities like wheat and fertilizers by strengthening trade ties with alternative suppliers in Africa, Europe, and Asia. Additionally, Nigeria should enhance local agricultural production through increased investment in mechanized farming and incentives for farmers to reduce dependency on Ukrainian imports. This strategy will ensure food security, economic stability, and resilience against future geopolitical conflicts that could disrupt trade relations with key partners like Ukraine.