FG maintains diplomatic approach but says lawmakers may act as reports of harassment and forced exits mount

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has said Nigeria’s National Assembly will determine any retaliatory measures against South Africa over the alleged harassment and attacks on Nigerians and other African migrants.

Speaking during an interview on TVC, the minister explained that while the Federal Government is currently engaging South African authorities through diplomatic channels, the responsibility for any form of retaliation lies with the legislature.

“The lawmakers have a role to play in this,” she said, noting that further steps may be considered if the situation persists.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu said Nigeria has so far exercised restraint despite growing concerns over the treatment of its citizens in South Africa.

“In situations like this, it is important to be temperate and exercise caution,” she said. “However, when your citizens—many of whom have lived there for years, built families, and have children who know no other home—are being harassed, it becomes a serious concern.”

She also alleged that some Nigerians, including those married to South Africans, are being pressured to leave the country along with their spouses and children.

The minister contrasted the situation with the treatment of South African businesses operating in Nigeria, noting that more than 120 companies—including MTN, MultiChoice, Stanbic, and Protea—operate without interference.

“No one is asking them to prove their identity or targeting their businesses,” she said. “But Nigerians in South Africa are facing a different reality. At some point, we must review the options available to us.”

Odumegwu-Ojukwu warned that the continued attacks are damaging South Africa’s global reputation and undermining its legacy as a promoter of Pan-African unity.

“It is causing reputational damage,” she said. “Nelson Mandela worked hard to project South Africa as a bastion of Pan-Africanism, but these actions by anti-migrant groups are eroding that legacy.”

She added that the effects are already becoming evident internationally, with reports of cancelled events and growing concern over xenophobia in the country.

“South Africa is increasingly being viewed as xenophobic,” she said. “That is not a label any country would want to carry in the long run.”