President Bola Tinubu has reportedly declined to receive a special envoy sent by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa amid renewed concerns over persistent xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.
The South African delegation, led by the country’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, arrived in Abuja on Friday, July 24, with what officials described as an important message for the Nigerian leader.
The development comes less than 24 hours after the reported killing of a Nigerian, Chika Ibe, who was allegedly picked up from his residence in Bellville, Cape Town, and tortured to death by personnel of the South African Police Service.
Nigeria has maintained a strong stance against xenophobic attacks. At the 69th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government in Sierra Leone, Vice President Kashim Shettima, representing President Tinubu, condemned the attacks and pledged that Nigeria would push for stronger African Union measures against xenophobia.
Shettima said the Federal Government had evacuated 1,490 Nigerians affected by previous attacks and reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to protecting its citizens through regional and continental cooperation.
Diplomatic sources said Minister of Foreign Affairs Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu advised that it was not the right time for President Tinubu to receive the South African delegation, citing continued attacks on Nigerians and their businesses in South Africa.
According to the sources, she also insisted that South Africa must ratify the Memorandum of Understanding on the Early Warning Mechanism, signed by both countries in Abuja on October 22, 2025, before further diplomatic engagement.
The agreement is intended to strengthen cooperation on preventing violence, protecting citizens, improving consular coordination, and responding rapidly to threats against nationals of either country.
Officials said the framework could also have supported compensation claims for Nigerians whose businesses and properties were destroyed during previous xenophobic attacks, but South Africa has yet to compensate affected victims.
As of the time of the report, President Tinubu had not agreed to meet the South African envoy, while the outcome of a telephone conversation reportedly initiated by President Ramaphosa over the weekend remained unclear.
Observers believe Pretoria’s diplomatic outreach may be aimed at preventing further deterioration in relations that could affect South African investments in Nigeria, as well as Nigeria’s campaign for tougher continental action against xenophobia.