President Bola Tinubu has formally raised concerns over recurring xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks against Africans and other nationals in South Africa before the African Union, calling for collective action to address the issue.
Tinubu made the demand on Sunday at the 21st Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union in Luanda, Angola, where he was represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima.
According to a statement by Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communication, the President said the repeated attacks threatened the principles of African solidarity, unity and peaceful coexistence.
“Nigeria wishes to express its concern over the recurring xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks against Africans and other nationals in South Africa.”
While acknowledging South Africa’s sovereign right to enforce its immigration laws and its contributions to the continent, Tinubu said attacks targeting Africans and other nationals required urgent attention from African leaders.
“While recognising South Africa’s sovereign right to enforce its immigration laws and acknowledging its contributions to the continent, Nigeria stresses that such attacks undermine African solidarity, unity and peaceful coexistence, and require urgent collective attention.”
The President subsequently called on the AU to place the issue on the agenda of its 40th Ordinary Session, scheduled for January 2027.
“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.”
Tinubu also urged African countries to strengthen continental mechanisms for tackling xenophobia and Afrophobia, arguing that dialogue, preventive diplomacy and collective action were necessary to preserve unity among African nations.
The President’s intervention came as African leaders considered broader security challenges facing the continent.
Tinubu supported the adoption of the Luanda Action Plan as a practical framework for strengthening conflict prevention across Africa, arguing that preventing conflicts was more sustainable and cost-effective than managing them after they had escalated.
“For Nigeria, conflict prevention remains more cost-effective and sustainable than conflict management.”
He also expressed concern about growing external involvement in African conflicts through foreign military forces, mercenaries and private defence contractors.
According to Tinubu, excessive reliance on external actors could weaken African institutions and undermine the principle of African ownership of the continent’s peace and security efforts.
He called on member states to strengthen their collective responsibility for preventing and resolving conflicts.
The President further urged arms-producing and exporting countries to work more closely with African governments to prevent weapons and ammunition manufactured in their territories from being diverted to terrorists and other armed groups.
Tinubu noted that the African Union already had mechanisms for conflict prevention and resolution but said their effectiveness continued to be affected by limited trust among member states and inconsistent implementation.
Nigeria also supported sustainable and predictable financing for AU peace operations and called for the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2719, which seeks to strengthen the African Union’s capacity to respond to conflicts and crises.
Tinubu urged African leaders to prioritise homegrown solutions to the continent’s security and social challenges.
“Let us therefore renew our collective commitment to solidarity, cooperation, and shared responsibility as we build the Africa we want.”
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