President Bola Tinubu has taken Nigeria’s concerns over recurring xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks in South Africa to the African Union, calling for urgent continental action to protect Africans and other foreign nationals living across the continent.
Tinubu, who was represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the 21st Extraordinary Session of the African Union Assembly in Luanda, Angola, urged African leaders to place the issue on the agenda of the AU’s 40th Ordinary Session scheduled for January 2027.
The President said while Nigeria recognised South Africa’s right to enforce its immigration laws, attacks and hostility directed at Africans and other foreign nationals were damaging the ideals of African unity, solidarity and peaceful coexistence.
He called on member states to demonstrate a stronger commitment to the safety, dignity and protection of African citizens, stressing that xenophobia and Afrophobia require collective attention rather than isolated responses.
Tinubu also requested that African leaders strengthen dialogue, preventive diplomacy and other cooperative measures aimed at addressing tensions before they escalate into wider conflicts.
On the continent’s security challenges, Nigeria backed the proposed Luanda Action Plan, describing conflict prevention as a more sustainable and less costly approach than managing crises after they have erupted.
The President warned against the growing dependence on foreign military actors, mercenaries and private defence contractors, saying such reliance could weaken African institutions and undermine the principle of African ownership of peace and security initiatives.
He further called on countries involved in the production and export of arms to work more closely with African governments to prevent weapons from finding their way into the hands of terrorists and other armed groups.
Tinubu maintained that although the African Union already has several mechanisms for conflict prevention and resolution, weak implementation and limited trust among member states have continued to affect their effectiveness.
Nigeria also expressed support for predictable and sustainable funding for African Union peace operations, as well as the full implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2719 to improve the continent’s ability to respond to conflicts.
The President urged African leaders to embrace stronger cooperation and home-grown solutions to the continent’s challenges.
“Let us renew our collective commitment to solidarity, cooperation and shared responsibility as we work towards building the Africa we want,” he said.