Nigeria National Assembly suspends visits to South Africa

The Nigerian National Assembly has suspended all official visits to South Africa and announced a boycott of all South African-hosted legislative activities until further notice. This decision follows leadership consultations between the Senate and the House of Representatives in response to recurring xenophobic attacks against Nigerians and other African nationals living in South Africa.

In a statement signed by the Clerk to the National Assembly, Kamoru Ogunlana, lawmakers expressed grave concern regarding reports of violence, intimidation, and the destruction of property. The assembly noted that Nigerians have been killed, injured, or displaced, and have been forced to abandon their homes, businesses, and investments due to these attacks.

The boycott includes both physical and virtual conferences as well as parliamentary exchanges. The legislature emphasized that despite repeated appeals from the Nigerian government for South African authorities to strengthen protections and prosecute culprits, the incidents have continued to emerge.