The Initiative For Youth Awareness on Migration Immigration Development and Reintegration [IYAMIDR] Nigeria has noted with deep concern the Press Release No: MFA/PR/2026/057 issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on May 2, 2026, regarding the summon of the Acting High Commissioner of the Republic of South Africa over ongoing protests and documented attacks on Nigerians and their businesses.
Expanding on the Federal Government “for its swift diplomatic response, IYAMIDR believes that beyond the summon, Nigeria must advance a constructive, measurable agenda that addresses both the immediate safety of its citizens and the root causes of recurring xenophobic tensions in South Africa.”
IYAMIDR’s concern on the issue, by Okoduwa Solomon, Executive Director, IYAMIDR, Nigeria, oscillates between two fundamental grounds namely safety of lives and property whereby “credible reports indicate that Nigerian nationals face physical attacks, looting of businesses, and targeted harassment. The right to life and security of person, as guaranteed under Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, is at risk.”
Also diplomatic precedent: “Nigeria and South Africa share a historic bond forged in the anti-apartheid struggle. Failure to institutionalize protections now undermines that legacy and threatens Africa’s integration agenda.”
Further more, economic impact: “Nigerian-owned businesses contribute significantly to local economies in South Africa. Their destruction fuels poverty, irregular migration, and further tension.”
IYAMIDR’s proposed agenda for the May 4, 2026 bilateral meeting goes thus, “Joint early warning & rapid response unit: establish a 24/7 Nigeria-South Africa hotline and desk officers in both High Commissions to respond to threats within 2 hours of reporting; victim compensation & restitution fund; South African Government to work with provincial authorities to assess damages to Nigerian businesses from 2024-2026 and create a fast-track compensation mechanism and community policing partnership: integrate Nigerian community leaders into local community policing forums in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and Western Cape to improve intelligence and de-escalate tensions.”
Also legal aid & prosecution task force: “Both countries to assign special prosecutors to ensure attackers are charged under South African law; Nigeria to provide legal aid to victims through its missions bi-National Youth Integration Program; launch IYAMIDR-partnered programs between Nigerian and South African youth to address misinformation; promote enterprise collaboration, and counter xenophobia at grassroots; quarterly review mechanism and institutionalize a Nigeria-South Africa Ministerial Review on Diaspora Safety, with public communiqués, to prevent escalation.”
IYAMIDR warns on “rapid response; victim compensation and restitution fund; community policing and partnership; legal aid and prosecution task force; legal aid & prosecution task force: both countries to assign special prosecutors to ensure attackers are charged under South African law and Niger provide legal aid to victims through its missions.
Immediate counseling to Nigerians in South Africa register with the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria and Consulate in Johannesburg if you have not; avoid high-risk areas where protests are ongoing.; updates via the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission NIDCOM channels; document all incidents: photos, videos, police case numbers. This supports claims for compensation and prosecution and for emergencies, contact: Nigerian High in South Africa or send an email to iyamidr@gmail.com.
IYAMIDR will convene a diaspora safety virtual town hall to collate testimonies and provide psychosocial support. Nigeria must move from reactive diplomacy to preventive diplomacy. The lives of our citizens are not bargaining chips.
