President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has formally raised concerns over recurring xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks against Africans and other nationals in South Africa at the African Union (AU), calling for urgent collective action to address the incidents.
Tinubu made Nigeria’s position known through Vice President Kashim Shettima, who represented him at the 21st Extraordinary Session of the AU Assembly in Luanda, Angola.
The President urged African leaders to place the issue on the agenda of the 40th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly scheduled for January 2027, saying the attacks threatened the continent’s solidarity and peaceful coexistence.
“Nigeria wishes to express its concern over the recurring xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks against Africans and other nationals in South Africa,” Tinubu said.
“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.”
He added: “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 called for stronger continental efforts to combat xenophobia and Afrophobia, stressing the importance of dialogue, preventive diplomacy and collective action in preserving African unity.
Turning to the wider security situation on the continent, the President backed the adoption of the Luanda Action Plan as a roadmap for strengthening conflict prevention.
“For Nigeria, conflict prevention remains more cost-effective and sustainable than conflict management,” he said.
Tinubu warned that fragmented peace initiatives and growing reliance on foreign military forces, mercenaries and private defence contractors could weaken the AU’s conflict prevention mechanisms and undermine the principle of African ownership.
He also called on arms-producing and exporting countries to strengthen cooperation with African states and prevent weapons and ammunition manufactured within their jurisdictions from being diverted to terrorists and other armed groups.
According to the President, although the AU has established mechanisms for preventing and resolving conflicts, limited trust and inconsistent implementation continue to undermine their effectiveness.
Nigeria also supported sustainable and predictable financing for AU peace operations and the full implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2719 to strengthen the continental body’s ability to respond to conflicts and crises.
Tinubu urged African leaders to renew their commitment to home-grown solutions and collective responsibility in addressing the continent’s security challenges.
“Let us therefore renew our collective commitment to solidarity, cooperation, and shared responsibility as we build the Africa we want,” he said
