The Federal Government has commenced the documentation of losses suffered by Nigerians affected by the recent attacks in South Africa as it prepares to pursue compensation through ongoing diplomatic engagements with the South African government.
Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, disclosed this on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, after briefing President Bola Tinubu on the outcome of Monday’s meeting with South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, who visited Abuja as a special envoy of President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Enikanolaiye said the government had introduced claims forms for Nigerians whose homes, businesses and other property were damaged during the violence, explaining that the exercise would provide the data needed to support formal compensation requests during bilateral negotiations.
He noted that the discussions between both countries remain active, describing Monday’s engagement as part of a broader diplomatic process aimed at securing justice for affected Nigerians and preventing a recurrence of the attacks.
The compensation initiative follows weeks of heightened diplomatic activity triggered by renewed attacks on foreign African nationals in parts of South Africa.
The violence claimed the lives of at least two Nigerians, forced hundreds to flee for safety and left several Nigerian-owned businesses and properties destroyed, prompting the Federal Government to launch a voluntary evacuation programme.
About 1,490 Nigerians have since returned home in multiple phases, while President Ramaphosa dispatched Lamola to Abuja in a bid to ease tensions and reaffirm South Africa’s commitment to protecting foreign nationals.
The minister also disclosed that President Tinubu endorsed Nigeria’s position that the violence should be described as Afrophobia, rather than xenophobia, maintaining that Black African nationals have been the primary targets of the attacks.
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According to him, the President is prepared to leverage his longstanding relationship with President Ramaphosa to strengthen diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the recurring violence against Nigerians and other African migrants living in South Africa.
Providing an update on the evacuation exercise, Enikanolaiye said two of the evacuation operations were funded by private Nigerian benefactors, while efforts are ongoing to secure additional resources to assist more citizens who wish to return home.
He further revealed that Nigeria and South Africa had agreed to reactivate their bilateral early warning mechanism and revive the Nigeria-South Africa Bi-National Commission to strengthen cooperation and improve responses to issues affecting citizens of both countries.
The minister maintained that every Nigerian, irrespective of immigration status, is entitled to the protection of life and dignity, stressing that irregular migration cannot justify violence or extrajudicial actions.
While reaffirming Nigeria’s commitment to resolving the crisis through dialogue, Enikanolaiye said the government would continue to review all available options to safeguard the lives, property and interests of its citizens abroad if diplomatic efforts fail to deliver the desired outcome.
The latest unrest marks the fourth major outbreak of violence targeting Nigerians and other African migrants in South Africa since 2008.
Similar attacks in 2015 and 2019 resulted in deaths, widespread destruction of businesses and diplomatic tensions between Abuja and Pretoria, underscoring the persistent challenge confronting one of Africa’s most important bilateral relationships.
Despite those setbacks, Nigeria and South Africa remain key strategic partners under the Bi-National Commission framework, with extensive cooperation in trade, investment, security, labour and cultural exchanges, while South African companies continue to rank among the largest foreign investors in Nigeria.