Nigeria calls for AU action as Xenophobic attacks in South Africa threaten African unit(Video)

Nigeria has called on the African Union (AU) to take urgent and collective action against recurring xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks in South Africa, warning that violence targeting Africans undermines the continent’s unity, solidarity and peaceful coexistence.

Vice President Kashim Shettima, who represented President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the 21st Extraordinary Session of the African Union Assembly in Luanda, Angola, made the call on Sunday, August 30, 2026.

Shettima said Nigeria recognises South Africa’s sovereign right to regulate immigration and enforce its laws, but stressed that such powers must be exercised in a manner that protects the dignity and safety of African nationals living within the country.

According to him, attacks against fellow Africans cannot be treated solely as domestic matters when they have wider implications for continental integration and relations among African states.

The Vice President urged the AU to respond more decisively to incidents of xenophobia and Afrophobia, particularly where foreign nationals are subjected to violence, intimidation, discrimination or other forms of hostility.

He said the recurrence of such attacks posed a threat to the principles of African solidarity and the vision of a united continent.

As part of its call for a coordinated continental response, Nigeria requested that the issue of xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks in South Africa be formally placed on the agenda of the 40th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly, scheduled for January 2027.

Shettima said the matter required further consideration by African leaders, with the aim of developing appropriate measures to prevent the recurrence of attacks and strengthen peaceful relations among African countries.

The Nigerian position comes against the backdrop of broader efforts by the AU to promote regional integration, free movement of people and stronger economic and social ties across the continent.

Nigeria has consistently maintained that the movement of Africans across borders should be accompanied by respect for national laws while also upholding the rights and dignity of migrants.

Shettima’s remarks highlighted the delicate balance between a country’s sovereign authority to control immigration and the collective responsibility of African nations to protect continental solidarity.

While acknowledging South Africa’s right to enforce its immigration regulations, Nigeria argued that enforcement should not translate into hostility towards Africans from other countries.

The Federal Government also believes that sustained attacks against foreign nationals could damage diplomatic relations and undermine efforts to deepen cooperation among African states.

Nigeria’s call therefore places the xenophobia debate within the wider context of the AU’s long-term objective of building a peaceful, integrated and prosperous continent.

The matter is now expected to receive further attention when African heads of state and government convene for the AU’s 40th Ordinary Session in January 2027, where Nigeria wants the bloc to consider appropriate action against the recurring phenomenon.