Nigeria Urges South Africa to End Xenophobic Attacks

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

Enikanolaiye highlighted that Nigeria views the situation as a significant challenge, advocating for the term Afrophobia to describe the nature of the violence. He expressed concern over the irony that citizens from countries that supported South Africa during its anti-apartheid struggle are now treated as “unwanted outsiders.” The minister noted that approximately 90 Nigerians have been killed in such attacks since June 2022, with new incidents reported in 2026.

He urged South African authorities to enhance migration governance and warned against the use of inflammatory rhetoric that could incite violence. Enikanolaiye also mentioned Nigeria's historical financial support for South Africa's liberation struggle, estimated at over $60 billion.