BREAKING: President Tinubu Declines to Meet South African Envoy Amid Renewed Xenophobia Concerns

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reportedly declined to receive a special envoy sent by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, amid mounting tensions over renewed xenophobic attacks and the alleged killing of a Nigerian citizen in South Africa.

According to sources, 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 was described as an important diplomatic message from President Ramaphosa.

The development came less than 24 hours after reports emerged that a Nigerian national, Chika Ibe, was allegedly abducted from his residence at Parksig Villas Complex in Bellville, Cape Town, and tortured to death by officers of the South African Police Service (SAPS). The incident has intensified public outrage and renewed calls for stronger diplomatic action against recurring attacks on Nigerians living in South Africa.

Nigeria has consistently condemned xenophobic violence targeting its citizens. At the 69th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government in Lungi, Sierra Leone, Vice President Kashim Shettima, representing President Tinubu, denounced the attacks and pledged that Nigeria would advocate tougher continental measures against xenophobia at the African Union.

Shettima also revealed that the Federal Government had previously evacuated 1,490 Nigerians affected by xenophobic violence in South Africa and reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to working with regional and continental institutions to safeguard the rights and dignity of Africans across the continent.

Diplomatic sources disclosed that the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, advised against granting the South African delegation an audience with President Tinubu at this time, citing the continued attacks on Nigerians, their businesses, and properties in South Africa.

Advertisement

The minister was also said to have maintained that the South African delegation could not secure a meeting with the President without a prior appointment and concrete assurances from Pretoria regarding measures to address the situation.

According to the sources, Nigeria is insisting that South Africa present a duly signed and ratified copy of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the Early Warning Mechanism (EWM), signed by both countries in Abuja on October 22, 2025, before further diplomatic engagement proceeds.

Nigerian officials said South Africa has yet to ratify the agreement, citing reasons Abuja considers inadequate.

The Early Warning Mechanism was established to enhance bilateral cooperation in monitoring security threats, protecting citizens, strengthening consular collaboration, and creating rapid communication channels to prevent xenophobic attacks and other acts of violence involving nationals of both countries.

Officials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs noted that full implementation of the framework could have facilitated compensation claims for Nigerians whose businesses and properties were destroyed during previous xenophobic attacks. However, South African authorities have yet to provide compensation to affected victims.

As of the time of this report, Presidency sources said President Tinubu had not agreed to meet the South African envoy. The outcome of a telephone conversation reportedly initiated by President Ramaphosa over the weekend also remained unclear.

Advertisement

Diplomatic observers believe Pretoria’s latest outreach may be motivated by concerns over the potential economic and diplomatic consequences of worsening bilateral relations, particularly the implications for South African businesses operating in Nigeria and Nigeria’s growing campaign for stronger African Union action against xenophobia.

While neither the Nigerian Presidency nor the South African government had issued an official statement on the reported diplomatic impasse at the time of filing this report, the latest developments underscore rising tensions between Africa’s two largest economies over the safety and protection of foreign nationals.