President Bola Tinubu has reportedly declined to receive a special envoy sent by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, amid renewed diplomatic tensions over persistent xenophobic attacks against Nigerians in South Africa.
The South African delegation, led by the country’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, arrived in Abuja on July 24 to deliver what officials described as an important message from President Ramaphosa. However, the delegation was unable to secure an audience with the Nigerian leader.
The development comes against the backdrop of renewed attacks on Nigerians in South Africa, including the reported killing of a Nigerian, Chika Ibe, in Cape Town. The incident has heightened concerns over the safety of Nigerians living in the country and further strained diplomatic relations between both nations.
According to diplomatic sources, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu advised that it was not appropriate for President Tinubu to receive the envoy while attacks on Nigerians continued. The minister reportedly maintained that the South African delegation could not meet the President without a prior appointment and concrete assurances from Pretoria on the protection of Nigerian citizens.
The report added that Nigeria is insisting on South Africa’s ratification of the Memorandum of Understanding on the Early Warning Mechanism (EWM), signed by both countries in Abuja on October 22, 2025. Nigerian officials believe the framework would strengthen cooperation on monitoring security threats, protecting citizens, improving consular collaboration and preventing future xenophobic attacks.
Officials also argued that full implementation of the agreement would facilitate faster communication between both governments during crises and provide a framework for addressing compensation claims by Nigerians whose businesses and properties were destroyed during previous xenophobic attacks. According to the report, South Africa is yet to ratify the agreement, citing reasons Nigerian officials consider insufficient.
The latest diplomatic standoff follows President Tinubu’s recent condemnation of xenophobic attacks at the ECOWAS Summit, where he urged African leaders to adopt a united continental response against intolerance and reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to protecting its citizens across the continent.
