Geopolitical Contestation or Developmental Alliance? A Comparative Study of Foreign Infrastructure Interventions in Nigeria and Burkina Faso (2018-2024)

The study undertook a comparative assessment of Chinese, Russian, and Western infrastructure engagements in Nigeria and Burkina Faso between 2018 and 2024 with a view to unraveling the competing geopolitical motives disguised as developmental aid. Although massive foreign investments were directed toward infrastructure, questions persisted regarding whether these initiatives truly advanced national development or entrenched dependency and external control. Drawing on the World-Systems Theory, the study employed a qualitative explanatory research design and content analysis to identify trends and implications of foreign infrastructural interventions. The study found that infrastructure development by China, Russia and the rest of the West in the two countries reflected more of a geopolitical contestation among global powers than a cooperative alliance for national advancement with long-term implications that raised concerns about sovereignty and self-reliance. It therefore recommended the adoption of a unified national framework for managing foreign infrastructure engagements, public financial accountability systems, and the promotion of transparent, inclusive, and locally-owned infrastructure development processes.