No African should fear another African

Nigeria’s condemnation of the killing of two of its citizens during the latest outbreak of anti-migrant violence in South Africa has revived concerns over a cycle of diplomatic protests that has accompanied similar incidents for more than two decades. Each resurgence of xenophobic attacks appears to follow a familiar pattern. Lives are cut short, businesses and homes are destroyed, governments express concern, investigations are announced, and public attention gradually fades until another episode of violence thrusts the issue back into the spotlight. The repeated nature of these attacks reflects the failure of political leadership to tackle a challenge that has steadily undermined the democratic ideals upon which post-apartheid South Africa was founded.

According to the Nigerian government, one citizen reportedly died while in police custody in Pretoria, while another lost his life in Mpumalanga during the recent unrest targeting foreign nationals. The incidents unfolded against the backdrop of renewed anti-immigrant demonstrations that have fuelled tensions in several parts of South Africa, once again leaving migrants vulnerable to intimidation, assault and, in the most tragic cases, death. The Federal Government has consequently called for a thorough investigation into the killings and adequate protection for Nigerian citizens, a demand that aligns with international law and the obligations every sovereign state owes to all persons within its jurisdiction.

The deaths of the two Nigerians represent only the latest manifestation of a much deeper and enduring problem. Xenophobia in South Africa has expanded beyond isolated incidents of mob violence to become a recurring social and political challenge. Since the large-scale attacks of 2008, which claimed dozens of lives and displaced thousands of African migrants, further outbreaks have occurred in 2015, 2019 and on several occasions since then. Victims have come from across the continent, including Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi, Ethiopia, Somalia and Nigeria, demonstrating that hostility has frequently been directed at fellow Africans whose presence is blamed for unemployment, crime and mounting pressure on public services.

Such perceptions persist despite extensive evidence that South Africa’s economic difficulties are rooted in structural weaknesses that cannot be resolved by targeting migrants. High unemployment, particularly among young people, widening inequality, energy shortages, sluggish economic growth and shortcomings in public administration have generated deep frustration across many communities. Foreign nationals have increasingly become convenient scapegoats for problems that stem from long-standing governance failures, insufficient economic reforms and inconsistent service delivery. Political rhetoric designed to secure electoral advantage by portraying migrants as the principal cause of social hardship has further legitimised prejudice while emboldening those willing to resort to violence.

The latest tragedy also carries profound historical significance. During the struggle against apartheid, numerous African countries provided diplomatic, financial and moral support to South Africa’s liberation movement. Nigeria occupied a leading position in that effort, offering substantial assistance to the anti-apartheid campaign, supporting political exiles, funding educational opportunities for South Africans and championing international sanctions against the apartheid regime. That solidarity reflected a shared continental belief that the fight against racial oppression belonged to Africa as a whole rather than South Africa alone.

History does not impose an enduring debt of gratitude, nor does it excuse present-day policy shortcomings. Even so, it throws into sharp relief the contradiction of a nation whose democratic transition inspired the continent now confronting repeated violence directed at fellow Africans pursuing lawful opportunities within its borders. The principles that underpinned the anti-apartheid struggle were founded on human dignity, equality and shared humanity, values that are fundamentally incompatible with xenophobic violence.

Primary responsibility for reversing this trend rests with the South African government. Every state has a duty to protect all persons within its territory, irrespective of nationality. That obligation extends beyond prosecuting offenders after attacks have taken place. It requires effective law enforcement, swift intervention whenever tensions begin to rise, decisive action against incitement and sustained public messaging that rejects attempts to dehumanise migrants or attribute complex economic problems to foreign nationals.

The issue also extends beyond South Africa’s borders. The African Union has consistently championed continental integration, freer movement of people and stronger economic cooperation. Those aspirations are weakened whenever citizens of one African country live in fear within another. Continental institutions cannot afford to regard recurring xenophobic violence solely as a domestic issue when it carries significant humanitarian and diplomatic consequences across national boundaries. Continued silence risks eroding the moral authority of institutions established to advance African unity and collective security.

Nigeria, for its part, should ensure that its response extends beyond diplomatic condemnation. Public statements are an appropriate initial reaction, particularly when lives have been lost, but experience suggests they rarely alter entrenched patterns of behaviour on their own. Safeguarding Nigerian citizens abroad requires a sustained strategy built on robust diplomatic engagement, stronger consular services, improved intelligence gathering and closer cooperation with South African authorities to identify emerging threats before they escalate into violence.

The situation also presents Nigeria with an opportunity to reinforce its leadership role on the continent. As one of Africa’s largest economies and one of its most influential diplomatic voices, Nigeria is well placed to encourage broader discussions on migration, labour mobility and the responsibilities states owe to foreign nationals. Bilateral tensions should not obscure the reality that migration across Africa will continue to increase as economies become more interconnected. That trend calls for stronger regional frameworks capable of protecting migrants while addressing legitimate concerns surrounding border management and public security through lawful and humane approaches.

Equally significant is the need to challenge narratives that portray migrants as convenient political targets. Every country has the sovereign right to regulate immigration, enforce its laws and remove individuals who breach legal requirements through established judicial processes. Those powers, however, differ fundamentally from creating an atmosphere in which entire communities are stigmatised because of their nationality. Collective suspicion has never provided a sound basis for public policy. It weakens the rule of law, undermines social cohesion and encourages vigilantism in place of lawful governance.

South Africa’s democratic institutions possess the capacity to confront this challenge. Its courts continue to command respect, its Constitution remains widely recognised as one of the world’s most progressive, and many South Africans have consistently spoken out against xenophobia despite considerable personal risk. Civil society organisations, faith-based groups, labour unions and community leaders have repeatedly demonstrated that a different path is possible. Their efforts deserve sustained political support rather than occasional recognition after violence has already claimed lives.

The wider lesson extends to governments across Africa. Economic hardship, unemployment and insecurity are challenges confronting many countries across the continent, yet relatively few have experienced recurrent attacks against fellow Africans on the scale witnessed in South Africa. Attempts to channel public frustration towards outsiders may yield short-term political gains, but they also weaken institutions, erode confidence in the rule of law and damage a country’s international standing. Governments that tolerate such narratives often discover that they become increasingly difficult to contain.

The deaths of the two Nigerians should therefore serve as more than another diplomatic dispute between Abuja and Pretoria. They are a reminder that Africa’s vision of integration cannot depend solely on treaties, summits and official declarations. It must also be reflected in the everyday security and dignity of people who cross borders to work, study, invest or pursue better opportunities. Continental unity acquires genuine meaning only when Africans are able to live and work across the continent without fearing persecution because of their nationality.

South African authorities must carry out transparent investigations into the deaths, ensure that anyone found culpable is brought before the law and demonstrate through decisive action that the protection of human life remains paramount. Nigeria, meanwhile, should continue to pursue accountability while maintaining constructive diplomatic engagement that places the welfare and security of its citizens at the forefront of bilateral relations.

Recurring xenophobic violence has persisted for far too long. Africa cannot continue to proclaim unity while allowing hostility towards fellow Africans to flourish within its borders. The continent’s future depends as much on safeguarding human dignity as it does on economic growth and political cooperation. Whenever Africans become unsafe in Africa because they come from another African country, the promise of continental integration suffers a profound setback that no diplomatic communiqué can easily repair.