- President Tinubu formally raised the issue of xenophobic attacks against Africans in South Africa at an AU session in Angola
- Nigeria demanded that the matter be placed on the agenda of the 40th Ordinary AU Assembly session in January 2027
- Vice President Shettima represented Tinubu at the 21st Extraordinary AU Session in Luanda, where Nigeria also backed the Luanda Action Plan
Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 8 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues
President Bola Tinubu brought Nigeria’s long-standing concern over xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks in South Africa directly to the African Union, formally requesting that the issue be given a dedicated slot at the next AU summit.
Tinubu said such attacks damage African solidarity and cannot continue to be ignored at the continental level.
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The President spoke through Vice President Kashim Shettima at the 21st Extraordinary Session of the AU Assembly in Luanda, Angola.
As reported by The Punch, Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Media and Communication, confirmed the development in a statement issued on Sunday, August 30, 2026.
“Nigeria wishes to express its concern over the recurring xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks against Africans and other nationals in South Africa. Such attacks undermine African solidarity, unity and peaceful coexistence, and require urgent collective attention.”
Nigeria’s Demand at the AU
While acknowledging South Africa’s sovereign right to enforce its immigration laws and recognising its broader contributions to the continent, Tinubu made clear that the attacks demanded a collective continental response.
He called on the Assembly to formally include the matter in the agenda of the 40th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly, scheduled for January 2027.
“It is on this note that Nigeria calls on this august Assembly to place the matter on the agenda of the upcoming 40th Ordinary Session of the AU Assembly, scheduled for January 2027, for consideration and appropriate action,” he said.
Tinubu also urged African leaders to invest more heavily in dialogue, preventive diplomacy and joint action as the foundation for preserving unity across the continent.
Broader security and financing concerns
Beyond xenophobia, Tinubu used the Luanda platform to address wider security challenges facing Africa.
According to Daily Trust, he threw Nigeria’s weight behind the adoption of the Luanda Action Plan as a practical framework for conflict prevention.
Tinubu argued that stopping conflicts before they start was less costly than managing them after they erupt.
“For Nigeria, conflict prevention remains more cost-effective and sustainable than conflict management,” he said.
He expressed concern over the growing presence of foreign military forces, mercenaries and private defence contractors on the continent.
The Nigerian president warned that such external interference risked hollowing out the AU’s own peace and security institutions.
He called on member states to recommit to the principle of African ownership over the continent’s affairs.
Tinubu also urged arms-producing countries to work more closely with African governments to stop weapons from being diverted to terrorist groups and other non-state actors.
He acknowledged that the AU already had strong conflict resolution tools in place but said limited trust between member states and poor implementation were undermining their impact.
Nigeria additionally backed sustainable financing for AU peace operations and called for the full operationalisation of UN Security Council Resolution 2719, which is aimed at boosting the continental body’s capacity to respond to crises.
“Let us therefore renew our collective commitment to solidarity, cooperation, and shared responsibility as we build the Africa we want,” Tinubu said.
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Xenophobic Attacks: Tinubu snubs South African delegation
Recall that Tinubu refused to personally receive South Africa’s special delegation led by Minister Ronald Lamola, who had been in Abuja since July 25, 2026
The South African envoys had waited through the weekend expecting a presidential audience over the ongoing attacks on Nigerians in South Africa
Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs met the delegation instead, raising the issue of police complicity in mob violence targeting Nigerians.
Xenophobia: Nigerians confront South African violent protesters
Meanwhile, Legit.ng also reported that some Nigerians in South Africa reportedly armed themselves for self-defence after renewed anti-migrant attacks and growing tensions.
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At least four foreign nationals were killed during the latest violence, while thousands of migrants were processed for voluntary departure.
A viral video showed police separating Nigerians and South Africans during a tense confrontation, while Nigerian authorities continued to urge citizens to remain calm.
Source: Legit.ng