The eagle and the springbok

Nigeria and South Africa account for about a third of Africa’s economic might, and have led much of its conflict management initiatives over the last two-and-a-half decades. Both account for at least 60% of the economy of their respective sub-regions in West and Southern Africa.The success of political and economic integration in Africa thus rests heavily on the shoulders of these two regional powers.Nigeria and South Africa have also sought to give Africa a stronger global voice, while competing as rivals on issues such as peacemaking in Côte d’Ivoire, Libya, and Guinea-Bissau. This book assesses Nigeria/South Africa relations in the areas of politics, economics, and culture within the context of rivalries and hegemony.