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Nigeria vs South Africa: The Making of a Big Diplomatic Face-off
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…as Xenophobia Tears Africa Apart
By Eric Elezuo
Literarily defined as the fear or hatred of that which is perceived to be foreign of strange, according to Wikipedia, xenophobia is fast threatening to tear the African continent apart, notably Nigeria and South Africa.
In the last few days, uncanny events have occurred to prove that if care is not taken, the highly treasured bi-lateral relationship between Africa’s supposedly two great economic powers, Nigeria and South Africa, will be hitting a brick wall. This is prompted by current ‘sporadic and premeditated’ attacks in the cities of Johannesburg and Jeppestown, leading to massive looting and destruction of business concerns of Africa nationals majority of whom are Nigerians.
Xenophobic attacks among natives of South Africa date back to the 2000s when natives in a bid to ‘clean’ the area of foreigners engaged in violent display of hatred targeting citizens of other countries including Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi among others. The immigrants, mostly those living in the Alexandria township were “physically assaulted over a period of several weeks” in an operation tagged “Buyelekhaya” (go back home). The natives have blamed the foreigners of being the brains behind crimes, unemployment and sexual attacks.
Until, 2015, Nigeria has remained immune to the unprovoked attacks of the South Africans, and then out of the blues, a number of Nigerians were deported on the flimsy excuse of uncertified yellow card. Nigeria promptly retaliated by bundling home some South Africans whose immigration papers were less than accurate. Though the matter was resolved without rancour, the seed of diplomatic suspicion had been sown.
The xenophobic attacks resurrected in April 2015, in Durban and spread to Johannesburg when Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini was quoted as saying that foreigners should “go back to their countries” thereby fueling a crisis.
But the South African government’s reactions to the attacks of September 1 and 3 on businesses belonging to foreigners, especially Nigerians have been anything but palatable. It has brazenly defended the attacks, blaming the foreigners for their woes.
In his reaction, South African Small Business Development Minister, Lindiwe Zulu said that foreign business owners cannot expect to co-exist peacefully with local business owners unless they share their trade secrets. Zulu noted that foreign business owners had an advantage over South African business owners due to marginalisation under apartheid. “They cannot barricade themselves in and not share their practices with local business owners,” Zulu said.
The reaction drew a lot of criticisms from some African countries leading to immediate withdrawal of Nigeria, Rwanda, Malawi, Congo DR and others from the just concluded world Economic Forum held in South Africa. Zambia also called off a friendly match with South Africa.
In Nigeria, the Federal government’s summoning of the South African High Commissioner, Mr. Bobby Moore, did not yield any positive result, as the envoy seems to echo the stand of the South African government. He maintained that there were no xenophobic attacks ongoing in South Africa. He said that what was going on was attacks masterminded by criminals in which South African businesses have also been affected.
This latest response became irk of the Nigerian public, and there was an immediate reprisal attacks, targeting South African businesses nationwide. In the wake of the reprisal attacks, offices of the telecommunication giants, MTN were torched in some areas just as retail shops like Shoprite, Spar and PEP were also massively looted.
Nigeria also withdrew from WEF in South Africa and recalled its ambassador. In the same vein, most Nigerian artist withdrew their participation in major events billed to take place in South Africa while some others vowed never to set foot in South Africa again until a reasonable settlement is achieved.
Ever since, both countries have been talking tough. While South Africa has declared that it will never pay compensation to those who lost their businesses as Nigeria demanded, the Federal government has been advised the annex South Africa businesses in Nigeria including MTN, Stanbic IBTC, Shoprite among others.
The rift is eating deep between the two counties that it seems there is no immediate sign of peace even as President Mohammadu Buhari said he has sent special envoy, whose identity is still shrouded in mystery, to visit President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa to discuss the way forward.
Stakeholders believe that it will take more than diplomatic approach to bring the crisis to a logical settlement. They said that it is not just about the physical attacks on persons and businesses. They argue that that xenophobic attacks have been going on against Nigerians in many areas, saying that South Africa will not think twice to stop Nigerians from entering their soil.
A member, South Africa Specialist Group and CEO, 1860 Travels, Mr. Francis Daodu, revealed that South Africa would not blink at the prospect of severing travel relationship as they have in the past make visa procurement for Nigerians a herculean task.
“In the past, it takes only a 10 days for a visa application to be ready, whether positive or negative outcome, but in recent times, one is practically held hostage, passport seized and no communication between the embassy and the applicant. When you get tired of waiting, they hand you over your passport with absolutely nothing done on it. They may not have told anyone that they are not needed in Nigeria, but their body language speaks volume. This is a clear message that Nigerians are no longer wanted in South Africa,” he said.
He hoped however, that the South African government, which said it was planning an e-visa procedure before the end of the year will bring it to pass to alleviate the challenges visa applicants face.
In one of the statements of the group, titled Xenophobia, Discrimination and Racism against Nigerians in Visa Procurement by South African Embassy, they averred that:
“The discrimination has become so obvious that it appears that the Embassy is averse to having Nigerians in their homeland as a step forward in the xenophobia being practiced against Nigerians in the country. Recall that violent attacks against Nigerians in South Africa took place in 2008, 2015 and 2017, leaving many killed for no just cause other than hatred.
“This hatred has been reinvented by the Embassy in Nigeria as Nigerians who apply for visas are never given.”
Mr. Daodu believes that much as South Africa continually exhibits xenophobic tendencies against Nigeria, the truth remains they will be the loser in the event of diplomatic blockade. This is because “South African tourism has an active presence in Nigeria, and has been doing a lot of marketing and activation targeted at promoting South Africa as a foremost destination”.
As the two countries battle for diplomatic supremacy – a crisis that has spilled into the streets, it is believed that the volume of trade between both countries currently put at over $60 billion, may be affected. Also, the National Bureau of Statistics First Quarter 2019 Foreign Trade Statistics also revealed that South Africa is one of Nigeria’s top five export destinations as the country exported goods with total value of N325.5 billion or 7.2 percent to South Africa within the period. Consequently, Nigeria stands to lick its wounds should a diplomatic barrier be instituted between both countries.
Unyielding, South Africa maintains that most Nigerians in their country are drug dealers, and are the reasons behind every crime in the country. In other words, since they cannot be fished out, all Nigerians, as a matter of urgency should vacate the country.
Lending credence, Nigeria’s Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, had informed that attacking South African business concerns will hurt Nigerians more, taking into consideration that thousands of Nigerians have both direct and indirect connection to all South African businesses operating in Nigeria. He noted that a lot of people will be returned to the labour market.
The crux of the matter remains that neither countries has taken responsibility for the its actions. While South Africa has blatantly refused to offer compensation for the loss Nigerians suffered in Johannesburg and other cities where massive looting and destruction have taken place, Nigeria is seriously considering a legal option. This is even as citizens of Nigeria have caused substantial damage to facilities and businesses not only belonging to South Africans, but to Nigerian citizens. It goes to say the least that perpetrators of the xenophobic act in South Africa and those saddled with reprisal attacks in Nigeria, are all bunch of thugs, if the voice of the South Africa Chief of Police should echoed.
“Otherwise, why will a Nigerian, who is well aware that all the businesses attacked so far have 90 per cent of Nigerian staff. In fact, smaller shops surrounding shoprite were also looted and destroyed; were those ones also South African shops? When we can’t do the right thing, thugs will always hijack it,” a social commentator, who craved anonymity said.
However, while Nigeria has arraigned 85 out of the 125 allegedly arrested during the violent protests, South Africa is yet to take action though it said some arrests have been made.
Presently, the Embassy of South Africa in Nigeria has been shut down just as most of enterprises own and run by South Africa have also closed shops. These include Shoprite, MTN and others. Again, the Federal Government of Nigeria has recalled its ambassador to South Africa, paving the way for more diplomatic brouhaha. It has however, said it would not severe diplomatic relations with South Africa.
The coming days will really be trying as it is yet unknown if Nigeria will keep to its words or will she be cutting diplomatic ties with a country it sacrificed so much to see its liberation.
Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has said President Bola Tinubu’s request for approval to borrow $20.52 billion and €1.045 billion vindicates his October 12 warning about a loan plan of up to $20 billion.
Atiku said the President’s failure to identify the specific projects the loans would fund raises serious concerns that borrowed public money could be channelled through the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway, now rerouted inland, to political campaigners and favoured contractors.
In a statement issued by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, Atiku said:
“On October 12, I warned Nigerians that President Tinubu was reportedly preparing to borrow up to $20 billion in connection with the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway. I asked him to confirm or deny the plan and publish the accounts. He did neither. Today, he has asked the Senate to approve $20.52 billion and €1.045 billion in external loans. My warning has been vindicated.
“The President has listed broad sectors but has not provided a project by project account of what this enormous borrowing will fund. Nigerians have not been given clear project details, costs, locations or contractors to scrutinise.
“That silence is especially troubling given the highway’s inland rerouting. Nigerians have every right to ask whether it is becoming a pipeline for borrowed money to reach Tinubu’s campaigners and favoured contractors. Barely 12 weeks before an election, how can the President ask lawmakers to saddle Nigerians with more than $20 billion and €1 billion in debt without identifying the projects and their costs? Is this a development plan for Nigerians or a campaign financing scheme dressed up as infrastructure?
“You cannot continue taking frivolous loans on the eve of your departure from office. Let it be on record that one of the first responsibilities I will undertake as President is to scrutinise and investigate every kobo borrowed, especially loans taken in the final year of your tenure. Nigerians will ask questions, and we will find the answers by every lawful means.
“I put local and international lenders on notice: any loan granted to this winding down administration must meet all constitutional, statutory and due process requirements. Upon assumption of office, I will scrutinise every such loan. Any borrowing found to have been obtained without proper authorisation or process will be challenged and will not be allowed to stand.
“The National Assembly must not approve a single dollar until the President publishes every project, contract, cost, contractor, loan term and repayment obligation. No public money should be borrowed in the dark, and no lawmaker should sign a blank cheque against Nigeria’s future.”
Atiku said the burden was on Tinubu to prove that the borrowing would serve the country, not his political interests. He urged lawmakers to publish the proposal and supporting documents and subject them to rigorous scrutiny before any decision.
He added that families already struggling with a cost of living crisis should not be made to carry debts they did not approve. The woman fighting to keep her business alive and the worker spending their income just to feed deserve to know where the money is going, who will benefit and who will pay. At the ballot box, Nigerians will have the chance to reject a government that borrows against their future while taking their sacrifices for granted.
The Allied Peoples Movement (APM) presidential candidate, Seyi Makinde, on Thursday, criticised President Bola Tinubu’s “Emi Lokan” slogan ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
Makinde said Nigerians do not need “turn-by-turn nepotism”, arguing that voters should be free to decide who becomes the country’s next president in 2027.
The Oyo State governor spoke during the APM’s town hall meeting in Akure, Ondo State.
Makinde asked: “How can someone say ‘Eemi lokan’ in a country like Nigeria? You were given the opportunity. If you recall the 1999 presidential election, the South-West voted massively for Baba Olu Falae, but the rest of Nigerians voted for Baba Obasanjo. So, this is not an issue that only the South-West can resolve; it is an issue we must address collectively as Nigerians.
“We do not want ‘turn-by-turn nepotism’, nor do we want a situation where people say, ‘I will vote for projects because it is my turn’. You will not finish those projects, and when it becomes someone else’s turn, they will do the same thing. We will end up with a Nigeria where we cannot get value for the resources belonging to Nigerians.
“The Reset Nigeria agenda is about building a country where infrastructure development supports economic growth and addresses the concerns of young people and women.
“Once we fix our economy, no zone will be left behind, and no demographic group will be left behind.”
Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, has denied saying the Federal government will introduce a fuel tax when the economy stabilises and income levels improve.
In a post on X on Tuesday, Oyedele said his remarks during an interview with ARISE News was misrepresented, insisting that a “fuel tax is not on the table.”
However, during the interview with Rotus Odiri, ARISE News Business Correspondent, on the sidelines of the 2026 International Monetary Fund and World Bank annual meetings in Bangkok, Thailand, Oyedele said the tax would come when income levels improve enough for Nigerians to accommodate it.
He said taxes account for between 20 and 80 percent of pump prices in some countries, while many African countries impose between six and 10 different taxes on fuel products.
He said introducing fuel tax while petrol was still subsidised would have been counterproductive because government would effectively be paying the tax itself.
According to him, imposing the tax immediately after removal of petrol subsidy would be insensitive to Nigerians.
“The objective should be that instead of trying to suppress prices, which hasn’t worked for us, it hasn’t worked for any country in the world, not one. Instead of trying to suppress prices, think about how to grow income faster than prices rise,” Oyedele said.
“That’s how you bring prosperity and grow the middle class and that is exactly what we are doing as led by Mr. President himself.
“At the appropriate time, when the economy has stabilizes and income level will be able to accommodate it, those taxes will come. Not because we want to impose taxes,” he added.
In his Tuesday post, the minister reiterated that introducing a fuel tax at this time would be insensitive following removal of petrol subsidy, describing reports that government will introduce the levy when the economy stabilises as “fake news.”
