Tinubu asks AU to tackle xenophobic attacks, warns against foreign interference in Africa

President Bola Tinubu has called on the African Union (AU) to address recurring xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks against Africans and other foreign nationals in South Africa.

He urged the continental body to place the issue on the agenda of its 40th Ordinary Session scheduled for January 2027.

Tinubu made the call on Sunday in a speech delivered by Vice-President Kashim Shettima at the 21st Extraordinary Session of the AU Assembly in Luanda, Angola.

The president said the attacks threaten African solidarity, unity and peaceful coexistence, and called for greater use of dialogue, preventive diplomacy and collective action to address xenophobia and Afrophobia across the continent.

What the President is saying

Tinubu’s position comes amid recurring concerns over attacks and hostility directed at African migrants and other foreign nationals in South Africa.

• “It is on this note that Nigeria calls on this august Assembly to place the matter on the agenda,” NAN quoted him as saying.

While acknowledging South Africa’s sovereign right to enforce its immigration laws and its contribution to Africa’s development, he said such enforcement should respect the safety, dignity and fundamental rights of Africans living or travelling across national borders.

The president’s call also reflects Nigeria’s longstanding concern over the treatment of its citizens and other African nationals in South Africa. Previous incidents of xenophobic violence have strained relations between African countries and raised wider questions about the protection of citizens within the continent.

Beyond xenophobia, Tinubu used the AU meeting to push for a stronger African-led approach to resolving conflicts and security challenges.

He backed the adoption of the Luanda Action Plan, describing conflict prevention as a more sustainable and cost-effective approach than managing conflicts after they have escalated.

• “For Nigeria, conflict prevention remains more cost-effective and sustainable than conflict management,” he said.

Tinubu also warned that growing reliance on foreign military forces, mercenaries and private defence contractors could undermine African institutions and weaken the principle of African ownership of peace and security initiatives.

Get up to speed

In July, Nigeria issued a sharp diplomatic rebuke to South Africa over recurring attacks against its citizens, telling Pretoria directly that the violence has followed a documented pattern spanning three decades.

• Also, President Tinubu joined the call against xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and other foreigners in South Africa, urging African leaders to lead a united response.
• In late June, dozens of Nigerians in South Africa took shelter at the Nigerian High Commission amid growing fears of xenophobic violence, a development that was reported by Nairametrics.

The acts of violence against foreigners in South Africa have since sparked widespread condemnations across Nigeria and beyond. Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a formal condemnation, warning that “all options remain on the table” if attacks on Nigerians persist.

What you should know

In May, the Nigerian community in South Africa alleged that at least 105 Nigerians have been killed in the country over the past seven years amid recurring xenophobic violence targeting migrants.

Also, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned South Africa’s Acting High Commissioner for diplomatic discussions following renewed concerns over xenophobic attacks targeting Nigerians.

South Africa’s president Cyril Ramaphosa recently linked rising xenophobic tensions in South Africa to growing concerns over illegal immigration.

Tinubu’s position puts xenophobia, conflict prevention and African ownership of security initiatives within the broader debate over the continent’s ability to address its challenges collectively.