Nigeria urged to sanction South African firms over xenophobic attacks on Nigerians

Human rights lawyer Femi Falana has called on Nigeria’s federal government to impose economic sanctions on South African companies operating in Nigeria in response to repeated xenophobic attacks that have forced Nigerians out of South Africa and destroyed their businesses. Falana said diplomatic protests alone would not compel Pretoria to act and urged the use of reciprocity, including revoking mining licences, boycotting South African‑owned firms such as MTN, and even nationalising South African investments if necessary.

He also pressed the government to give Nigerians direct access to the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights, citing Nigeria’s past nationalisation of British Petroleum in the 1970s as a precedent for strong action against South African interests.