National Assembly suspends official visits to South Africa over xenophobic attacks

The National Assembly has suspended all official visits to South Africa over continuing reports of xenophobic attacks against Nigerians and other African nationals in the country.

This is according to a statement on Friday signed by Akin Rotimi, spokesman for the House of Representatives.

The suspension also covers participation in South African-hosted or South African-organised legislative activities, including conferences, seminars, meetings and parliamentary exchanges.

What they are saying

The decision followed consultations between the leadership of the Senate and House of Representatives over reports of Nigerians being killed, injured, displaced and forced to abandon their businesses, homes and properties following recurring violent attacks in South Africa.

The National Assembly said it was concerned that the attacks have continued despite repeated appeals to South African authorities to protect Nigerians and other foreign nationals and prosecute perpetrators.

• “The Leadership of the National Assembly, led by H.E. Senator Godswill Akpabio, GCON, President of the Senate, and Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, PhD, GCON, Speaker of the House of Representatives, has directed the Clerk to the National Assembly to communicate to all Distinguished Senators, Honourable Members, Committees, departments, directorates, officials and staff the decision of the National Assembly to suspend all official visits to the Republic of South Africa and boycott South African-hosted or South African-organised legislative activities and engagements until further notice,” the statement read in part.

The Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, said the leadership of both chambers had resolved to suspend official visits to South Africa and boycott South African-hosted or South African-organised legislative engagements until further notice.

What the suspension covers

The directive applies to lawmakers, committees, officials and staff of the National Assembly and covers physical and virtual engagements organised or hosted by South African legislative authorities.

• Existing invitations and proposed programmes involving official visits or legislative engagements in South Africa will be reviewed.
• The suspension will remain in force until further notice and is subject to review by the National Assembly leadership.
• The National Assembly urged South African authorities to take urgent measures to prevent further xenophobic attacks, investigate reported incidents and prosecute those responsible.

The lawmakers said the decision does not undermine Nigeria’s longstanding diplomatic and people-to-people relations with South Africa but represents a response to concerns over the safety and welfare of Nigerians in the country.

Get up to speed

The development comes amid renewed diplomatic concerns over xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks in South Africa, with President Bola Tinubu calling for a coordinated African response to the incidents.

• Tinubu called on African leaders to adopt a united position against the attacks during the 69th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government in Sierra Leone.
• Represented by Vice-President Kashim Shettima, he urged ECOWAS to escalate the matter to the African Union.
• In August, Tinubu also called on the AU to address recurring xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks and place the issue on the agenda of its 40th Ordinary Session scheduled for January 2027.

The President said the attacks threaten African solidarity, unity and peaceful coexistence and called for dialogue, preventive diplomacy and collective action to address xenophobia and Afrophobia.

What you should know

The National Assembly’s action comes as Nigeria continues the evacuation of citizens affected by the renewed attacks, with 1,640 Nigerians so far returned from South Africa.

• The Federal Government has fully sponsored the evacuation of 1,385 Nigerians, while 255 were evacuated through philanthropic support.
• Nigeria began the evacuation in June, with the first batch of 262 Nigerians departing Johannesburg for Lagos on June 11 aboard a Federal Government-funded Air Peace flight.
• By July 11, six batches had returned 1,174 Nigerians through Air Peace and ValueJet.
• The Redeemed Christian Church of God, led by Pastor Enoch Adeboye, donated $265,854 to fund the evacuation of 500 distressed Nigerians, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Foreign Affairs Ministry disclosed the RCCG contribution in a September 3, 2026 press release signed by its spokesperson, Oluwafemi Adeniyi, providing a specific breakdown of the church’s support for the ongoing evacuation.