President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has formally raised concerns over recurring xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks against Africans and other nationals in South Africa before the African Union (AU).
Tinubu called for urgent collective action by African leaders, saying the incidents threatened continental solidarity, unity and peaceful coexistence.
The President made the position known in a message delivered by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the 21st Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of the African Union in Luanda, Angola.
Tinubu urged the AU to place the issue on the agenda of the 40th Ordinary Session of the Assembly scheduled for January 2027.
He also called on African leaders to reaffirm their commitment to protecting the safety, dignity and rights of African nationals across the continent.
“Nigeria wishes to express its concern over the recurring xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks against Africans and other nationals in South Africa.
“While recognising South Africa’s sovereign right to enforce its immigration laws and acknowledging its contributions to the continent, Nigeria stresses that such attacks undermine African solidarity, unity and peaceful coexistence, and require urgent collective attention,” he said.
Tinubu further called for stronger continental efforts to address xenophobia and Afrophobia through dialogue, preventive diplomacy and collective action.
On the broader security situation in Africa, Nigeria supported the adoption of the Luanda Action Plan as a framework for strengthening conflict prevention.
“For Nigeria, conflict prevention remains more cost-effective and sustainable than conflict management,” Tinubu said.
He warned that fragmented peace initiatives and growing external interference through foreign military forces, mercenaries and private defence contractors could weaken the AU’s conflict-prevention mechanisms and undermine African ownership of peace efforts.
The President also called on arms-producing and exporting countries to work more closely with African governments to prevent weapons and ammunition from being diverted to terrorists and other non-state armed groups.
Tinubu noted that although the AU had established mechanisms for conflict prevention and resolution, limited trust and inconsistent implementation continued to affect their effectiveness.
“The growing reliance on external actors risks weakening African institutions and the principle of African ownership,” he said.
Nigeria also backed sustainable and predictable financing for AU peace operations and called for the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2719.
Tinubu urged African leaders to renew their commitment to home-grown solutions, cooperation and collective responsibility in addressing the continent’s security challenges.
“Let us therefore renew our collective commitment to solidarity, cooperation, and shared responsibility as we build the Africa we want,” he said.
© 2026, Standard Focus. All rights reserved. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from STANDARD FOCUS.