This episode explores how the US treats African oil as a strategic interest, beyond the rhetoric of democracy and partnership, risking conflict & instability. Today’s guests warn of Western neocolonial tactics and the urgent need for Pan-African unity to protect Africa’s resources and sovereignty. Andrés Antillano, a professor at the Central University of Venezuela and a researcher specializing in criminality, violence, conflict, and armed groups, draws compelling parallels between Nigeria and Venezuela, highlighting how their status as two of the world's largest oil producers may render them potential targets for US intervention.
What is happening and might continue to happen in Venezuela, and potentially in Nigeria, is a proxy war—a battle to regain control over lost spheres of influence, particularly in the face of China's growing presence. I believe this poses a risk not only to Venezuela and Nigeria but also to Latin America, the Caribbean, and Africa. There is a multifaceted agenda in these interventions [....],” Antillano stated.
Similarly, in a revealing interview with Pan-African Frequency, Istifanus Zabadi, Professor of International Relations at Bingham University, Karu, Nigeria, dissects this reality with unflinching clarity. He articulates a pattern that has shaped decades of US foreign policy—a pattern where national interest is measured in barrels of oil and access to mining rights, and where the mechanisms of control have simply evolved from colonial administration to neocolonial influence.
“From the 1960s, Africa has been a victim of external intervention and actions because Africa houses a lot of resources, not just oil. We're talking about gold, uranium. Now we're talking about rare earths. For the Western world in particular since they colonized Africa and since after the Second World War with the ascendancy of the United States to global power status, they have kept their eyes on African resources [...] Really, this is not just Africa alone. You see it in many places in Asia, in South America, or Latin America. We have had to live under the shadow of satisfying U.S. interests against ours,” Zabadi highlighted.
Tune in to listen to the full conversation with our guests on the Pan African Frequency podcast, brought to you by Sputnik Africa.
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