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Tinubu Declines to Receive South African Envoy, Insists on Anti-Xenophobia PactPresident Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reportedly declined to receive a special envoy dispatched by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa amid growing diplomatic concerns over recurring xenophobic attacks on Nigerians living in South Africa.
The South African delegation, led by the country’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, was instead received by Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs rather than the President.
According to reports, the Nigerian government is insisting that South Africa first sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on an Early Warning Mechanism designed to prevent, monitor and swiftly respond to xenophobic violence before any further high-level diplomatic engagements take place.
The proposed agreement is expected to establish a framework for closer cooperation between both countries, enabling authorities to identify potential threats early, protect foreign nationals and ensure prompt intervention whenever tensions arise.
The development underscores Nigeria’s continued demand for stronger guarantees on the safety and welfare of its citizens residing in South Africa, where repeated incidents of xenophobic attacks have strained relations between the two African nations over the years.
While both countries maintain longstanding diplomatic and economic ties, Nigeria’s latest position signals a renewed push for concrete commitments to prevent future attacks and strengthen the protection of migrants through institutional cooperation rather than diplomatic assurances alone.
