Trending 
Nigerian President Bola Tinubu has asked the African Union (AU) to take urgent action against recurring xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks targeting migrants in South Africa.
Tinubu made the request in a message delivered by Vice-President Kashim Shettima at the 21st Extraordinary Session of the African Union Assembly in Luanda, Angola, on Sunday.
The president also asked African leaders to place the issue on the agenda of the AU’s 40th Ordinary Session scheduled for January 2027.
“Nigeria wishes to express its concern over the recurring xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks against Africans and other nationals in South Africa,” Tinubu said.
While acknowledging South Africa’s right to enforce its immigration laws and recognising its contributions to Africa, the president said attacks against foreigners undermine the continent’s efforts to promote unity and peaceful coexistence.
“It is on this note that Nigeria calls on this august Assembly to place the matter on the agenda of the upcoming 40th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly, scheduled for January 2027, for consideration and appropriate action,” he said.
The president also urged African leaders to reaffirm their commitment to protecting the safety and dignity of Africans across the continent.
He called for stronger continental measures to combat xenophobia and Afrophobia, saying dialogue, preventive diplomacy and collective action were necessary to preserve African unity.
The issue formed part of a wider intervention by Tinubu on peace and security at the AU summit, where Nigeria supported adopting the Luanda Action Plan as a framework for strengthening conflict prevention across the continent.
He warned that fragmented peace initiatives and growing external involvement in African conflicts could weaken the AU’s ability to prevent and resolve crises.
“The growing reliance on external actors risks weakening African institutions and the principle of African ownership,” he said.
Tinubu specifically raised concerns over the involvement of foreign military forces, mercenaries and private defence contractors in African conflicts, arguing that such interventions could undermine the continent’s own peace and security mechanisms.
He also called on countries that manufacture and export arms to work more closely with African states to prevent weapons and ammunition from being diverted to terrorists and other non-state armed groups.
The president said the AU already had mechanisms to prevent and resolve conflicts, but limited trust and inconsistent implementation continued to weaken their effectiveness.
Tinubu urged African leaders to strengthen cooperation and rely more on solutions developed within the continent to address its security challenges.
“Let us therefore renew our collective commitment to solidarity, cooperation, and shared responsibility as we build the Africa we want,” he said.
Nigeria’s intervention comes against the backdrop of recurring attacks and hostility towards foreign nationals in South Africa, particularly migrants from other African countries.
Xenophobic violence has periodically targeted African migrants, with victims facing attacks, looting, displacement and threats.
The issue has previously strained relations between Nigeria and South Africa, two of Africa’s largest economies and most influential countries.
Nigerian authorities have in the past condemned attacks on Nigerians in South Africa and undertaken diplomatic measures to protect citizens and address tensions.
The 21st Extraordinary AU Summit in Luanda is focused on peace and security issues, including strengthening African-led mechanisms for conflict prevention and management.
STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE
President Tinubu Takes Fight Against Xenophobic, Afrophobic Attacks In S’Africa To AU
**Says enough is enough, demands urgent action to sustain Africa’s solidarity, unity at 21st Extraordinary AU Summit*
**Urges continent’s leaders to recommit to… pic.twitter.com/jW0g7v3R3Y
— Stanley Nkwocha (@stanleynkwocha_) August 30, 2026
