President Bola Tinubu has called on the African Union (AU) to take collective action against recurring xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks targeting Africans and other foreign nationals in South Africa.
Tinubu made the call on Sunday at the 21st Extraordinary Session of the AU Assembly in Luanda, Angola, where he was represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima.
The President urged African leaders to place the issue on the agenda of the AU’s 40th Ordinary Session scheduled for January 2027, warning that continued attacks against Africans undermine continental unity and peaceful coexistence.
In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communication, Stanley Nkwocha, Tinubu acknowledged South Africa’s sovereign right to enforce its immigration laws but stressed that such authority should not be exercised through violence or hostility towards other Africans.
“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 said.
Tinubu called for greater reliance on dialogue, preventive diplomacy and coordinated continental action to address xenophobia and Afrophobia.
On Africa’s broader security challenges, the President backed the proposed Luanda Action Plan, describing conflict prevention as more sustainable and cost-effective than managing conflicts after they have erupted.
“For Nigeria, conflict prevention remains more cost-effective and sustainable than conflict management,” he said.
He also warned that the growing involvement of foreign military forces, mercenaries and private defence contractors in African conflicts could weaken the AU’s capacity to lead its own peace and security efforts.
“The growing reliance on external actors risks weakening African institutions and the principle of African ownership,” Tinubu said.
The President further called for stronger cooperation between African countries and arms-producing nations to prevent weapons and ammunition manufactured outside the continent from being diverted to terrorist groups and other armed non-state actors.
He noted that despite the AU’s existing mechanisms for conflict prevention and resolution, distrust among member states and weak implementation continued to limit their effectiveness.
Tinubu said Nigeria also supported predictable and sustainable funding for AU-led peace operations and urged the full implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2719 to strengthen Africa’s capacity to respond effectively to conflicts.