Nigerian Government Drags South Africa to AU Over Afrophobic Attacks

• Nigeria and Ghana will present evidence of Afrophobic attacks in South Africa at the next AU Assembly.
• At least 90 Nigerians have been killed in such attacks since June 2022, with fresh attacks reported in 2026.
• South African authorities are urged to strengthen migration governance and enforcement to prevent further violence against migrants.

The relationship between Nigeria and South Africa is not reducible to trade statistics or diplomatic communiqués. There is history in that relationship. There is blood, sacrifice and solidarity in that history.

Nigeria and Ghana are set to take South Africa to task over its handling of Afrophobia, a wave of attacks against fellow Africans in the country. The decision comes after months of recurring violence, which has left many dead and displaced. According to Nigerian Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sola Enikanolaiye, the government is particularly concerned about the loss of lives resulting from these attacks. Since June 2022, at least 90 Nigerians have been killed in Afrophobic violence, with fresh attacks and displacement reported in 2026. The minister emphasized that Nigeria views this situation as a challenge that must be addressed without denial or exaggeration, arguing that the term Afrophobia more accurately captures the nature of these attacks.

The African Union Assembly of Heads of State and Government will be presented with evidence of South Africa's failure to protect its African citizens. The Nigerian government has expressed its displeasure over this situation, calling on South Africa to take urgent measures to end xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks against African nationals in the country. Enikanolaiye noted that despite Nigeria's significant financial commitment to South Africa's liberation struggle, estimated at more than $60 billion, citizens of the country have been treating Nigerians and other Africans as 'unwanted outsiders.' The minister stressed that this relationship is not reducible to trade statistics or diplomatic communiqués, but rather has a rich history of blood, sacrifice, and solidarity.

The continued violence threatens South Africa's international reputation, investor confidence, and regional integration. The country's moral authority earned through its liberation struggle is also being diminished by these attacks. Enikanolaiye warned that the situation requires a stronger migration governance system, responsible political leadership, and deeper people-to-people relations across the continent to prevent further violence against migrants. He urged South African authorities to strengthen transparent and humane migration systems, ensuring that enforcement of immigration laws remains the sole responsibility of the state.

Lawyers advising clients with interests in Nigeria or South Africa should watch for potential disruptions to trade and investment between the two countries, as well as increased scrutiny of migration policies and enforcement.

Source: Original reporting via Leadership