Nigeria’s National Assembly has suspended official visits to South Africa and announced a boycott of legislative activities hosted or organised by South African authorities, citing concerns over renewed xenophobic attacks against Nigerians and other African nationals.
The decision followed consultations between the leadership of the Senate and the House of Representatives amid reports of violence, intimidation, destruction of property and displacement affecting Nigerians living and doing business in South Africa. The resolution was communicated in a statement signed by the Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana.
Under the resolution, official trips to South Africa by senators, members of the House of Representatives, committees, National Assembly officials and staff are suspended until further notice. The restriction also covers legislative conferences, seminars, workshops, parliamentary meetings, exchanges and other programmes organised or hosted by South African legislative authorities.
The boycott extends to both physical and virtual participation in South African-hosted legislative activities. The Clerk was directed to communicate the decision to lawmakers, committees, departments and other relevant personnel to ensure compliance.
The National Assembly said the decision was prompted by concern over the safety and welfare of Nigerians in South Africa. It called on the South African government to take concrete measures to protect Nigerians and other African nationals, investigate reported attacks, arrest suspected perpetrators and prosecute those found responsible.
The lawmakers also stressed that the measure should not be interpreted as an attempt to sever Nigeria’s longstanding relationship with South Africa. Instead, they described it as a response to what they regard as inadequate protection of Nigerians facing xenophobic violence.
The move comes after months of worsening diplomatic tensions between the two countries. In July, Nigeria received a South African delegation seeking discussions on the attacks, while the Federal Government had previously facilitated the evacuation of Nigerians affected by the violence. Nearly 600 Nigerians were evacuated during one phase of the response, according to reports at the time.
During those diplomatic discussions, Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, said Nigeria had recorded repeated incidents involving Nigerians in South Africa over several years. He said the government would not support criminal activity but insisted that Nigerians accused of crimes should be dealt with through established legal procedures rather than mob violence.
The National Assembly’s decision therefore adds legislative pressure to an already sensitive diplomatic relationship. It is also consistent with a longer history of parliamentary concern over attacks on Nigerians in South Africa. In 2019, the Senate under then-President Ahmad Lawan condemned xenophobic attacks and called for stronger protection of Nigerians and their businesses.
However, suspending parliamentary visits does not by itself resolve the underlying problem. The effectiveness of the measure will depend largely on whether it encourages stronger action by South African authorities without unnecessarily damaging areas of cooperation between the two countries.
Nigeria and South Africa have important political, economic and people-to-people ties, and both countries have historically played significant roles in continental affairs. South Africa is also home to a large Nigerian community whose interests extend beyond the immediate diplomatic dispute.
For Nigerians living in South Africa, the central issue remains physical safety and protection from violence. The National Assembly has now made clear that the attacks are being treated as a matter serious enough to affect official legislative engagement with South Africa.
The suspension will remain in place until further notice and can be reviewed by the leadership of the National Assembly depending on how circumstances develop. The lawmakers have also urged State Houses of Assembly to take note of the decision and consider similar measures.
The immediate test will be whether the diplomatic pressure produces tangible steps to protect Nigerians, investigate attacks and hold perpetrators accountable while preserving channels for Nigeria and South Africa to address their wider relationship.
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