By a Correspondent
Nigeria and South Africa have moved to ease diplomatic tensions and rebuild trust after a fresh wave of xenophobic attacks against Nigerians and other African nationals in South Africa threatened to strain relations between Africa’s two biggest economies.
The diplomatic efforts were complicated after Nigerian President Bola Tinubu reportedly declined to personally receive a special envoy from South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, who arrived in Abuja carrying a message from the South African leader.
Instead, Tinubu directed the delegation, led by South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Ronald Lamola, to meet the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye.
The decision underscored the seriousness of the diplomatic tension following reports of attacks on Nigerians and their businesses in South Africa.
According to reports, the South African delegation arrived in Abuja on Friday seeking a meeting with Tinubu but was instead directed to meet Enikanolaiye, who was expected to brief the Nigerian leader on the outcome of the talks.
Receiving the South African delegation in Abuja, Enikanolaiye said Tinubu had directed the meeting to facilitate discussions on how to resolve the attacks, stressing that the long-standing strategic relationship between Nigeria and South Africa should not be undermined by violence against African migrants.
The Nigerian minister expressed disappointment over what he described as a persistent pattern of attacks dating back more than three decades.
“We have seen a pattern emerge as early as 1995, 1998, 2006, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2024 and 2026,” he said.
“From 2022 alone, 98 Nigerians have died in mob actions and hate-related attacks that we have described as Afrophobia because Africans, particularly Nigerians, are the predominant victims.”
Enikanolaiye said Nigeria did not condone criminality but insisted that anyone accused of an offence should be prosecuted according to the law rather than being subjected to mob justice.
“The Nigerian government will not support drug peddlers, but what we are saying is that anyone accused of an offence should be treated in accordance with your constitution, international human rights instruments and the minimum requirements of humanity,” he said.
He added: “If someone is, quote-unquote, a criminal for drug trafficking, there are rules, there are regulations for when they are arrested, prosecuted, and jailed.”
“But what we have found is that this xenophobic act has gone beyond the attack on criminals. We have records of Nigerians who have a legitimate purpose to remain in South Africa, yet they have been attacked.”
Enikanolaiye also raised concerns over the conduct of security agencies during some of the attacks, saying: “We could see some mob actions, where we saw the police watching, as if they are helpless to address this situation, which to us raises issues of state responsibility. It raises issues of complicity. If the state authorities are not able or unwilling to tackle these challenges.”
He recalled the humanitarian impact of previous outbreaks of violence, saying Nigeria had evacuated nearly 1,500 citizens from South Africa.
“I shed tears in the plane when I saw children, women and the elderly returning home with almost nothing. Some had their properties looted and destroyed,” Enikanolaiye said.
The fresh diplomatic tension follows a new wave of xenophobic violence that erupted in April and prompted Nigeria to approve evacuation flights for stranded citizens, with more than 1,000 Nigerians reportedly registering for voluntary repatriation.
Responding to Nigeria’s concerns, Lamola said he had been sent to Abuja by Ramaphosa to reaffirm South Africa’s opposition to xenophobia and other forms of intolerance.
“We have been outspoken against any intolerance, including xenophobia, racism, homophobia, violence and discrimination directed at individuals within our borders,” Lamola said.
He nevertheless maintained that South Africa had a sovereign right to enforce its immigration laws and deal with criminality.
“President Ramaphosa has also been very firm on South Africa’s sovereign right to enforce immigration laws, including dealing decisively with irregular migration, undocumented immigrants and acts of criminality committed within our borders,” Lamola added.
Lamola also raised concerns over the involvement of some Nigerian nationals in organised crime, drug trafficking and financial fraud, as well as alleged resistance to law enforcement in parts of Johannesburg and Pretoria.
South African authorities have previously cited criminal activity in areas including Johannesburg’s Hillbrow district and Pretoria’s Sunnyside as growing security concerns.
However, the South African government has sought to distinguish between tackling criminality and targeting foreign nationals based on their nationality.
“South Africa unequivocally condemns all forms of xenophobia, racism, discrimination and related intolerance,” Lamola said.
He also stressed the need for dialogue between the two countries, describing migration as a continental challenge requiring a collective African response.
The talks in Abuja resulted in an agreement by both sides to tone down inflammatory rhetoric and prevent further escalation of tensions.
“Both delegations agreed on the urgent need to de-escalate inflammatory rhetoric in public discourse and prevent hostile actions,” South Africa’s Department of International Relations and Cooperation said.
Lamola expressed optimism that continued engagement between Abuja and Pretoria could help ease the diplomatic strain, while both sides committed to strengthening diplomatic and security cooperation.
The dispute has also triggered political pressure in Nigeria. The House of Representatives recently recommended the suspension of business permits for South African companies operating in Nigeria, while the Senate dispatched a delegation to Pretoria to formally register Nigeria’s displeasure over the attacks.
Analysts say the latest diplomatic engagement is significant for the continent, given the economic and political influence of Nigeria and South Africa and the impact of their bilateral relations on trade, investment and wider African cooperation.
Improved ties could also support efforts to deepen regional economic integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area, as African countries seek to expand intra-African trade and investment.
