Nigerian authorities have formally urged the African Union to designate xenophobic attacks targeting Africans across the continent as a top-level security priority, raising pressure on the 55-member bloc to adopt a more forceful response to waves of violence against foreign nationals.
Nigeria's Formal Call to the African Union
The demand was conveyed through diplomatic channels to African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopian authorities confirmed. Nigerian foreign affairs officials argued that coordinated regional action requires elevating the issue beyond routine diplomatic statements and into the AU's formal security architecture. The call reflects mounting frustration in Abuja over recurrent outbreaks of violence targeting African migrants and diaspora communities, particularly in South Africa's major urban centres. Officials in Nigeria have long advocated for stronger continental mechanisms to protect citizens abroad, but this marks one of the most explicit pushes to institutionalise the issue within AU structures.
Documented Wave of Attacks Across Southern Africa
Xenophobic violence has flared repeatedly in South Africa over the past decade, resulting in dozens of deaths and displacing thousands of foreign nationals. Nigerian citizens have been among those affected, with incidents documented in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal provinces. Shop owners, street vendors, and migrant workers have borne the brunt of targeted violence, according to human rights organisations monitoring the situation. South African authorities have faced repeated criticism for what advocates describe as insufficient prevention measures and delayed law enforcement responses.
The Diplomatic Fallout
Tensions between Nigeria and South Africa spiked after previous waves of attacks, including a 2019 outbreak that prompted Nigeria's government to summon South Africa's acting high commissioner for explanations. Trade missions and cultural exchanges were temporarily suspended as bilateral relations frayed. The diplomatic chill underscored how xenophobic violence threatens broader continental integration goals championed by the AU itself, including the African Continental Free Trade Area, which depends on freedom of movement for workers and entrepreneurs.
What "Top Security Priority" Would Mean
Designating xenophobic attacks as a priority within the AU's Peace and Security Council would elevate briefings and discussions to the ministerial and heads-of-state level. It would trigger mandatory reporting mechanisms and could unlock resources for early warning systems across member states. The shift would represent a significant departure from the current approach, which treats incidents largely as domestic law enforcement matters. AU peace and security protocols already cover genocide prevention and mass atrocities, and advocates argue xenophobic violence fits within that framework when patterns indicate systematic targeting of specific groups.
Critics within the AU have previously resisted what they view as interference in member states' internal affairs. Several governments have bristled at external assessments of their treatment of foreign nationals, complicating consensus-building on collective responses. Nonetheless, Nigerian officials maintain that the scale and frequency of attacks now warrant standing mechanisms rather than ad hoc condemnations after each new outbreak.
Broader Implications for Continental Unity
The Nigerian initiative arrives as the African Union attempts to strengthen its narrative around Pan-African solidarity and the free movement of people envisioned in the Treaty Establishing the African Economic Community. Xenophobic violence directly undercuts those objectives and has drawn sustained scrutiny from the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights. The commission has repeatedly called on states to enact stronger protections and prosecute perpetrators, though enforcement remains inconsistent.
Regional economic blocs including the Southern African Development Community have developed frameworks addressing xenophobia, but implementation varies widely. South Africa's government has launched public awareness campaigns and community dialogue programmes in affected areas, yet violence has resurfaced during periods of economic strain, particularly when unemployment climbs.
What Comes Next
The African Union's Peace and Security Council is scheduled to convene its next quarterly session in the coming months, where member states will consider the Nigerian proposal alongside other security agenda items. Nigerian diplomats are seeking co-sponsorship from other countries with significant diaspora populations in South Africa, including Zimbabwe, Malawi, and Mozambique, to build a coalition of support. Observers expect debate over whether the designation would include enforcement mechanisms or remain largely symbolic.
Human rights groups have welcomed Nigeria's push but caution that formal recognition must translate into actionable protocols. They point to existing AU instruments on racism and racial discrimination as potential templates for addressing xenophobia specifically. Whether member states will agree to binding commitments remains the central question as deliberations proceed.
Watch for the AU's official response to Nigeria's proposal in the coming weeks, particularly whether the secretariat schedules a dedicated briefing on xenophobic violence before the next council session. The outcome will signal whether Africa's primary continental body is willing to treat attacks on African nationals by Africans as a collective security concern warranting the same urgency applied to armed conflicts between states.
See Also
- Tigray Rebels Warn of Impending Conflict as Ethiopia Prepares for War: What It Means for Stability
- UK Energy Bills to Rise by £332 in July, Sparks Concerns Across Africa
