Nigeria's National Assembly has resolved to suspend all official visits to South Africa and boycott legislative activities organised or hosted by the South African parliament, escalating a diplomatic dispute over recurring anti-immigrant violence that has claimed the lives of dozens of Nigerians. The ban, announced by National Assembly Clerk Kamoru Ogunlana, covers physical and online participation in conferences, seminars, workshops and parliamentary exchanges, and extends to all lawmakers, officials and staff. The assembly called on state legislatures to follow suit.

The decision follows months of violent demonstrations in South Africa against foreign nationals. Last week in Durban, a port city on South Africa's eastern coast, marchers descended on an encampment of Congolese nationals, triggering deadly clashes. Nigeria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs says at least 98 Nigerians have been killed in xenophobic attacks in South Africa since 2022, and the Nigerian government completed the voluntary evacuation of approximately 1,490 citizens from the country in July. Some returnees cited difficulties renewing residence permits and fears stemming from anti-immigrant protests; South African authorities noted that some of those repatriated were undocumented migrants, reflecting a persistent gap between the two governments' positions.

South Africa, one of the continent's most industrialised economies, has long attracted migrants from across Africa, but it is also grappling with high unemployment, strained social services and elevated crime rates. Critics argue those systemic failures have increasingly been redirected into hostility towards foreign nationals. Nigeria has repeatedly accused South African authorities of failing to take decisive action to protect foreign residents or hold perpetrators accountable.

This is not the first time Nigerian lawmakers have pushed for a strong response. Earlier this year the Senate condemned the attacks and proposed sending a high-level delegation to Pretoria, while individual legislators called for revoking the licences of South African companies operating in Nigeria — including telecoms giant MTN and pay-television operator MultiChoice, which runs DStv. Those proposals were rejected in favour of diplomatic engagement, though the latest move marks a significant hardening of the legislative branch's position.

Ogunlana stressed that the boycott was not intended to damage the broader bilateral relationship between the two countries, describing it instead as "a strong expression of concern over the safety, dignity and welfare of Nigerians living and conducting legitimate businesses in South Africa." The National Assembly urged the South African government to take immediate protective measures and ensure those responsible for xenophobic attacks are brought to justice. The episode underscores growing tension over how African nations manage intra-continental migration — and the political consequences when host countries are seen as failing to protect their neighbours' citizens.