President Bola Tinubu has urged the African Union (AU) to take collective action against recurring xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks targeting Africans and other foreign nationals in South Africa.
The President said the incidents threatened African solidarity, unity and peaceful coexistence, and called for the issue to be placed on the agenda of the 40th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly scheduled for January 2027.
Mr Tinubu made the call in a message delivered by Vice-President Kashim Shettima at the 21st Extraordinary Session of the AU Assembly in Luanda, Angola.
The President acknowledged South Africa’s sovereign right to enforce its immigration laws, as well as its contributions to the continent, but said violence and discrimination against other Africans required urgent attention from the continental body.
“Nigeria wishes to express its concern over the recurring xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks against Africans and other nationals in South Africa,” he 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.”
Mr Tinubu called on African leaders to reaffirm their commitment to protecting the safety, dignity and rights of all African nationals, while advocating stronger continental measures to combat xenophobia and Afrophobia.
He said dialogue, preventive diplomacy and collective action remained critical to preserving unity across the continent.
On Africa’s broader security challenges, Nigeria supported the adoption of the Luanda Action Plan as a framework for strengthening conflict prevention.
The President argued that preventing conflicts was more cost-effective and sustainable than managing them after they had escalated.
“For Nigeria, conflict prevention remains more cost-effective and sustainable than conflict management,” he said.
Mr Tinubu also expressed concern over the growing involvement of external actors in African conflicts, including foreign military forces, mercenaries and private defence contractors.
He warned that fragmented peace initiatives and increasing external interference could weaken the AU’s conflict-prevention mechanisms and undermine the principle of African ownership of the continent’s peace and security agenda.
The President further called on countries that manufacture and export arms to strengthen cooperation with African states and prevent weapons and ammunition produced within their territories from being diverted to terrorist groups and other non-state armed organisations.
Although the AU has established mechanisms for preventing and resolving conflicts, Mr Tinubu said limited trust among member states and inconsistent implementation continued to hinder their effectiveness.
“The growing reliance on external actors risks weakening African institutions and the principle of African ownership,” he said.
Nigeria also backed calls for sustainable and predictable funding for AU peace operations and the full implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2719.
Mr Tinubu said such measures would strengthen the AU’s capacity to respond more effectively to conflicts and crises across the continent.
He urged African leaders to prioritise home-grown solutions, closer cooperation and shared 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,” the President said.
