Nigeria Urges South Africa to End Xenophobic Attacks

The Federal Government of Nigeria has called on South Africa to implement urgent measures to stop xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks against African nationals. This appeal was made by Amb Sola Enikanolaiye, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, during a virtual roundtable on “South Africa’s Xenophobia in Comparative Perspective,” organized by the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs.

Enikanolaiye highlighted that Nigeria perceives the situation as a significant challenge, advocating for the term Afrophobia to describe the attacks accurately. He expressed concern over the treatment of citizens from countries that supported South Africa during its anti-apartheid struggle, noting that approximately 90 Nigerians have been killed in such violence since June 2022.

The minister urged South African authorities to enhance migration governance and warned against the use of inflammatory rhetoric that could incite violence. He also mentioned that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has directed the NIIA to document Nigeria’s historical support for South Africa’s liberation struggle, which included financial contributions exceeding $60 billion.