By ALO 360 Editorial Board
There is something deeply painful about Africans turning against fellow Africans. It becomes even more tragic when such hostility comes from a country whose freedom struggle once depended heavily on continental solidarity. Yet, this is the reality Nigerians and other African nationals continue to face in South Africa, where recurring waves of xenophobic attacks have once again exposed the fragile state of African brotherhood.
What began years ago as isolated tensions has now developed into a dangerous cycle of violence, intimidation, looting and scapegoating. Nigerians have repeatedly become targets — attacked in their homes, businesses destroyed, and lives disrupted by mobs blaming foreigners for South Africa’s economic frustrations. The pattern is no longer accidental. It has become systemic enough to raise serious questions about the continent’s commitment to unity.
The numbers tell a troubling story. Major xenophobic outbreaks were recorded in 2008, 2015, 2019 and now again in 2026. Reports indicate that over 100 Nigerians have lost their lives in xenophobic incidents in South Africa over the past decade. During the 2019 attacks alone, hundreds of Nigerians sought evacuation back home. In the latest wave of tensions, at least 130 Nigerians have requested government-assisted repatriation, according to Frank Onyekwelu, president of the Nigerian community in South Africa, who spoke with Channels Television. These are not mere statistics. They are lives interrupted, dreams destroyed, and families thrown into uncertainty.
Sadly, the attacks often thrive on dangerous stereotypes. Foreign nationals, especially Nigerians, are routinely accused of taking jobs, committing crimes, or worsening social problems. But these accusations ignore the deeper structural realities confronting South Africa: unemployment, poverty, inequality, poor governance, and frustration among millions of young people. Nigerians did not create South Africa’s economic crisis. Zimbabweans did not create their inequality. Ethiopians did not build their broken systems. Blaming foreigners may be politically convenient, but it does nothing to solve the real problems.
What makes this situation particularly painful for Nigerians is history. During the anti-apartheid struggle, Nigeria stood firmly behind South Africa. Nigeria funded liberation movements, offered scholarships to South Africans in exile, and mobilised diplomatic pressure against apartheid. Many Nigerians contributed financially to the struggle through the Southern African Relief Fund. South Africa’s freedom was treated as a continental responsibility. Decades later, many Nigerians now feel betrayed by the repeated violence against fellow Africans in that same country.
Expectedly, frustration is growing in Nigeria. During senate plenary on Tuesday, Adams Oshiomhole called for a tougher response from the Nigerian government, urging authorities to invoke the doctrine of reciprocity in international relations. According to him, sympathising with victims alone would achieve nothing.
“I don’t want this Senate to be shedding tears to sympathise with those who have died. We didn’t come here to share tears,” he said. “If you hit me, I’ll hit you. It’s an economic struggle.”
The former Edo governor went further by suggesting that Nigeria should nationalise major South African businesses operating in the country, particularly MTN Nigeria and MultiChoice Nigeria, owners of DStv and GOtv.
“This Senate should adopt a position that MTN, a South African company that is carting away millions of dollars from Nigeria every day, should be nationalised,” Oshiomhole said.
“By the time we withdraw MTN’s licence, revoke DStv licence, those workers from South Africa will have good jobs to do here. When we balance this madness, there will be sanity.”
Although the senate eventually resolved against revoking the licences of South African companies, the anger behind such comments reflects growing public frustration over what many Nigerians see as repeated diplomatic softness in the face of persistent attacks.
Still, retaliation alone cannot be the answer. Targeting businesses may satisfy temporary public anger, but it could also deepen economic tensions and hurt ordinary workers on both sides. However, Nigeria must move beyond symbolic condemnations and routine diplomatic statements. More strategic pressure is needed to force meaningful accountability from South African authorities. Diplomatic engagement must become firmer, more coordinated, and more intentional.
The South African government also has serious responsibilities it can no longer avoid. Condemning attacks after lives have already been lost is not enough. There must be visible law enforcement, prosecution of perpetrators, and stronger political messaging against xenophobia. Silence and weak accountability only embolden extremist groups and criminal opportunists who exploit public frustration for violence and looting.
The media must equally reflect on its role. Sensational narratives that constantly portray Nigerians through the lens of fraud and criminality contribute to prejudice. Criminality is not tied to nationality. Every society has lawbreakers. Journalism must avoid reducing entire nationalities to stereotypes because such portrayals feed public hostility.
At a time when Africa speaks proudly about continental integration through initiatives like the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), xenophobic violence exposes a painful contradiction. Africa cannot preach unity at summits while Africans are hunted in the streets of African cities.
South Africa remains one of Africa’s most influential nations. Its democratic transition inspired millions across the continent. But repeated xenophobic attacks threaten that moral standing. A nation that once symbolised resistance against oppression must not become associated with intolerance against fellow Africans.
Continental solidarity cannot survive on speeches alone. It must be reflected in how Africans treat one another, especially in difficult economic times. If Africa truly hopes to rise together, then its people must resist the dangerous politics of blame and remember a simple truth: the enemy of Africa is not fellow Africans, but the failures of the ruling class that continue to keep millions trapped in poverty, frustration, and division.