BEYOND REPATRIATION: NIGERIA’S STRATEGIC RESPONSE TO XENOPHOBIA IN SOUTH AFRICA
By Caesar Jadu Payi
The recent expression of dissatisfaction by Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, over the treatment of Nigerians in South Africa marks a significant turning point in Abuja’s response to recurring xenophobic attacks against its citizens. The Federal Government’s decision to commence the voluntary repatriation of affected Nigerians, coupled with indications that retaliatory measures are being considered, reflects the seriousness with which Nigeria now views the situation.
Reports indicate that more than 1,000 Nigerians have already registered interest in returning home following the recent wave of attacks, intimidation, looting, and harassment targeting foreign nationals in South Africa. This represents a sharp increase from the earlier figures recorded when the crisis first emerged.
Nigeria’s frustration is understandable. Beyond the immediate loss of livelihoods and insecurity faced by its citizens, many Nigerians believe that South African authorities have not responded with sufficient urgency to protect foreign nationals and prosecute perpetrators. The concern is heightened by Nigeria’s historic role in supporting South Africa’s liberation struggle against apartheid through diplomatic, financial, and educational assistance.
However, while repatriation may be necessary as an emergency humanitarian measure, it should not become Nigeria’s primary strategy. Repatriation addresses the symptoms of the crisis; it does not address its causes.
The real challenge before Nigeria is how to protect its citizens while safeguarding one of Africa’s most important bilateral relationships. Nigeria and South Africa are not ordinary partners. They are Africa’s two leading powers, whose cooperation remains critical to continental security, trade, investment, and the success of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
South African companies such as MTN, MultiChoice, and Stanbic IBTC have significant commercial interests in Nigeria, while thousands of Nigerians contribute to South Africa’s economy as entrepreneurs, professionals, academics, and skilled workers. Any prolonged deterioration in relations would impose costs on both countries.
This is why any retaliatory measures considered by Nigeria must be strategic, proportional, and targeted. Diplomatic options available to Abuja include summoning South African diplomats, demanding measurable action against perpetrators, seeking intervention through the African Union, and reviewing aspects of bilateral cooperation where necessary. Economic measures should remain a last resort and must be carefully calibrated to avoid unintended consequences for Nigerian consumers, workers, and investors.
At the same time, Nigeria must deploy its greatest source of influence: soft power. Through diplomacy, cultural engagement, diaspora networks, and strategic communication, Nigeria possesses significant capacity to shape continental opinion and mobilize support against xenophobia. The country’s cultural reach through Nollywood, Afrobeats, higher education, and business networks remains one of the strongest on the continent.
Going forward, three priorities should guide Nigeria’s response.
First, the protection of Nigerian citizens must remain non-negotiable. Every Nigerian abroad deserves the protection of the Nigerian state regardless of location.
Second, accountability must be pursued through diplomatic and legal channels. Perpetrators of attacks must be identified, prosecuted, and punished to deter future occurrences.
Third, both countries should establish a permanent Nigeria-South Africa Anti-Xenophobia and Early Warning Mechanism involving government agencies, security services, diaspora groups, and civil society organizations. Such a mechanism would help identify tensions before they escalate into violence.
Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu is right to express Nigeria’s displeasure. No responsible government can remain indifferent when its citizens are repeatedly targeted abroad. Yet the ultimate objective should not be retaliation for its own sake. The objective should be the protection of Nigerians, the preservation of national dignity, and the strengthening of African solidarity.
The true test of leadership is not merely how nations react during crises, but how they transform crises into opportunities for lasting solutions. For Nigeria and South Africa, this is one such moment. Both countries must rise above the politics of resentment and work toward a future where no African is treated as a stranger in Africa.