President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has formally reported the recurring xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks against Africans and other nationals in South Africa to the African Union (AU), declaring that such violence undermines the continent’s solidarity, unity, and peaceful coexistence.
The President, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, delivered Nigeria’s position at the 21st Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union in Luanda, Angola, on Sunday.
In a statement issued by Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communication, President Tinubu expressed deep concern over the persistent attacks and called for urgent collective action by African leaders.
“Nigeria wishes to express its concern over the recurring xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks against Africans and other nationals in South Africa,” the President stated.
“While recognising South Africa’s sovereign right to enforce its immigration laws and acknowledging its contributions to the continent, Nigeria stresses that such attacks undermine African solidarity, unity and peaceful coexistence, and require urgent collective attention.”
He formally requested that the matter be placed on the agenda of the upcoming 40th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly, scheduled for January 2027, for consideration and appropriate action.
President Tinubu further urged stronger continental efforts to combat xenophobia and Afrophobia, emphasising that dialogue, preventive diplomacy, and collective action remain essential to preserving African unity and the safety, protection, and dignity of all African nationals.
The move follows months of heightened tension, during which Nigeria evacuated more than 1,500 of its citizens from South Africa amid waves of anti-immigrant protests and attacks. Nigeria had earlier raised the issue at the ECOWAS level and engaged South African authorities bilaterally.
The President’s intervention at the AU Extraordinary Session marks a significant escalation of Nigeria’s diplomatic push for a continental response to the crisis.