President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has escalated Nigeria’s concerns over recurring xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks in South Africa to the continental level, asking the African Union to consider the issue at its next ordinary summit and develop a collective response.
The Nigerian President’s intervention came as African leaders gathered in Luanda, Angola, for the 21st Extraordinary Session of the African Union Assembly on conflict prevention and resolution.
Tinubu was represented at the summit by Vice President Kashim Shettima, who delivered Nigeria’s position on Sunday, August 30, 2026. The AU confirmed that the extraordinary summit was held in Luanda from August 29 to 30 with a focus on strengthening Africa’s mechanisms for preventing and resolving conflicts.
Nigeria wants the issue on the AU’s 2027 agenda
Nigeria is asking the African Union to put the recurring attacks on Africans and other foreign nationals in South Africa on the agenda of its 40th Ordinary Session, scheduled for January 2027.
Tinubu said South Africa has the sovereign right to enforce its immigration laws and acknowledged the country’s contribution to Africa. However, he maintained that violence and hostility directed at Africans from other countries threaten the principles of African solidarity and peaceful coexistence.
Nigeria’s position is that the protection of African nationals should not become solely a bilateral matter between the affected countries when recurring incidents have implications for relations across the continent.
Why the South Africa issue matters to Nigeria
Nigeria and South Africa are two of Africa’s most influential economies and political powers, and their relationship has frequently been shaped by both cooperation and diplomatic disagreements.
The issue of xenophobia is particularly sensitive because Nigerians are among the African nationals who have historically lived, worked and operated businesses in South Africa.
Previous outbreaks of anti-foreigner violence in South Africa have generated strong reactions in Nigeria, including diplomatic protests and public anger.
By asking the AU to take up the matter collectively, the Tinubu administration is placing emphasis on an African-led response rather than allowing repeated incidents to remain isolated diplomatic disputes.
The broader question is whether the AU can develop mechanisms capable of protecting African citizens when they face discrimination or violence in another African country.
Tinubu calls for dialogue and preventive diplomacy
Beyond the South Africa issue, Tinubu used Nigeria’s intervention at the Luanda summit to push for stronger continental conflict-prevention mechanisms.
He backed the Luanda Action Plan and argued that preventing conflicts before they escalate is more sustainable and less costly than dealing with violence after it has already erupted.
The President also expressed concern about the growing involvement of external military actors, mercenaries and private defence contractors in African conflicts.
According to Nigeria’s position, excessive dependence on external actors could weaken African institutions and undermine the principle that African problems should increasingly be addressed through African-led solutions.
Tinubu therefore urged AU member states to strengthen cooperation, trust and collective responsibility in addressing security challenges.
Nigeria raises concern over arms diversion
Another major component of Nigeria’s intervention was the flow of weapons into the hands of terrorist organisations and other non-state armed groups.
Tinubu called on countries that manufacture and export arms to work more closely with African states to prevent weapons and ammunition originating from their territories from being diverted to criminal and terrorist networks.
The call is significant for Nigeria, where terrorism, insurgency, banditry and other forms of armed violence remain major national security concerns.
The President also backed predictable and sustainable financing for AU peace operations and called for the full implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2719, which is intended to strengthen the financing and effectiveness of AU-led peace support operations.
The AU’s challenge goes beyond declarations
Nigeria’s argument at the summit also highlights a longstanding problem confronting the African Union: the gap between continental decisions and their implementation.
Tinubu acknowledged that the AU has mechanisms for conflict prevention and resolution but argued that limited trust and inconsistent implementation have weakened their effectiveness.
That concern is relevant to the xenophobia debate as well.
Calling for an AU discussion is one step. The more difficult question will be whether member states can agree on practical measures capable of preventing attacks, protecting foreign nationals and holding perpetrators accountable while respecting the sovereignty of individual countries.
The January 2027 AU summit could therefore become an important point for determining whether Nigeria’s latest intervention produces concrete continental action.
Tinubu’s Europe vacation comes as 2027 politics gathers pace
The President’s AU intervention came around the same period that he began a three-week annual leave in Europe.
Presidential adviser on Media and Public Communications, Sunday Dare, said the vacation was intended to allow Tinubu to rest and “refuel” after roughly six to seven months of intensive engagement with government affairs.
Dare also linked the timing of the break to the approaching 2027 political season, saying several months of intense campaigning were expected while governance would continue.
Tinubu departed Nigeria on Sunday, August 30, for the three-week break, with London reported as his initial destination.
The Presidency has said the President will continue to receive briefings and remain engaged with key government matters while away.
What happens next?
The immediate issue to watch is whether the African Union formally carries Nigeria’s concerns over xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks into its January 2027 agenda.
For Nigeria, the next stage will be about turning concern into a practical continental response.
The outcome could also have wider implications for relations between Nigeria and South Africa, particularly if further incidents involving African nationals occur before the AU’s next ordinary session.
For now, Tinubu’s message from Luanda is clear: Nigeria believes attacks against Africans in another African country should be treated not merely as isolated incidents, but as a challenge to the continent’s broader commitment to solidarity, dignity and peaceful coexistence.
The January 2027 AU summit will show whether African leaders are prepared to take that argument further.
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