Nigeria and South Africa are holding high-level talks over recurring xenophobic attacks targeting Nigerians and other African nationals in the Southern African country.
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sola Enikanolaiye, is meeting with South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, who is visiting as a special envoy of President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Enikanolaiye said President Bola Tinubu directed the meeting as part of efforts to address the persistent attacks against Nigerians in South Africa.
The minister called on the South African government to take urgent and concrete measures to end what Nigeria described as recurring Afrophobic attacks against Nigerians and other African nationals.
He warned that continued violence could undermine decades of strategic relations between Nigeria and South Africa, which are regarded as Africa’s two largest economies.
Enikanolaiye recalled Nigeria’s historic support for South Africa’s struggle against apartheid and the countries’ close cooperation in transforming the Organisation of African Unity into the African Union.
He also highlighted the two nations’ collaboration in advancing the New Partnership for Africa’s Development.
The minister expressed concern over what he described as a recurring pattern of xenophobic violence in South Africa, noting that similar incidents had been recorded in 1995, 1998, 2006, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2024 and 2026.
The ongoing discussions are expected to focus on measures to protect Nigerians and other African nationals in South Africa and strengthen relations between the two countries.
