President Bola Tinubu has formally raised Nigeria’s concerns over recurring xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks against Africans and other foreign nationals in South Africa before the African Union, calling for urgent collective action to address the situation.
Tinubu made the position known through Vice President Kashim Shettima, who represented him at the 21st Extraordinary Session of the African Union Assembly in Luanda, Angola, on Sunday.
The President asked African leaders to place the issue on the agenda of the AU’s 40th Ordinary Session, scheduled for January 2027, for consideration and appropriate action.
Nigeria said the recurring attacks undermine African solidarity, unity and peaceful coexistence, and urged the continent’s leaders to reaffirm their commitment to protecting the safety, dignity and rights of African nationals regardless of where they live.
Tinubu acknowledged South Africa’s sovereign right to enforce its immigration laws and recognised the country’s contributions to the continent. However, he stressed that immigration enforcement should not translate into attacks or hostility against Africans and other foreign nationals.
The President called for stronger continental efforts to combat xenophobia and Afrophobia, identifying dialogue, preventive diplomacy and collective action as important tools for addressing tensions and preserving African unity.
The move represents an escalation of Nigeria’s response to concerns over the treatment of Nigerians and other African nationals in South Africa.
Nigeria had previously raised the issue directly with South African authorities. In July, Nigerian officials urged Pretoria to take concrete measures to tackle recurring attacks against Nigerians, while South Africa said it condemned xenophobia, racism, discrimination and related intolerance.
The South African government has also maintained that immigration enforcement measures are directed at individual violations rather than Nigerians or other nationalities as a group. Pretoria said both countries had agreed on the need to prevent hostile actions and inflammatory rhetoric while respecting due process.
The issue carries particular sensitivity for Nigeria because of the historical relationship between the two countries. Nigeria played a significant role in supporting South Africa’s struggle against apartheid, and Nigerian officials have repeatedly referred to that history when discussing the treatment of Nigerians in the country.
By taking the matter to the AU, Abuja is seeking to move the discussion beyond bilateral diplomacy and encourage a broader continental response.
Tinubu also used the AU gathering to address wider security challenges confronting Africa, backing the adoption of the Luanda Action Plan as a framework for strengthening conflict prevention.
He argued that preventing conflicts was more sustainable and cost-effective than managing them after they had escalated.
The President warned that growing reliance on foreign military forces, mercenaries and private defence contractors could weaken African institutions and undermine the principle of African ownership of the continent’s peace and security agenda.
He also called on arms-producing and exporting countries to strengthen cooperation with African governments and prevent weapons and ammunition from being diverted to terrorists and other armed groups.
Nigeria further backed sustainable and predictable financing for AU peace operations and the full operationalisation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2719.
Tinubu urged African countries to strengthen cooperation, embrace home-grown solutions and take greater collective responsibility for resolving conflicts across the continent.
For now, Nigeria’s request means the xenophobia issue is expected to receive further consideration within the AU framework, with the matter proposed for the organisation’s January 2027 Ordinary Session.
The development places additional diplomatic attention on South Africa as Nigeria continues to push for stronger protection of its citizens and other Africans living and working in the country.
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