Nigerian legislators have called for sanctions against South Africa over alleged xenophobic attacks on Nigerians, sharply raising the diplomatic temperature between the two countries. The push came during a heated debate in the Nigerian senate, where lawmakers said Nigerians in South Africa were living in fear and struggling to run their businesses freely.

The row follows recent anti-immigrant marches in parts of South Africa by groups including Operation Dudula and the March and March Movement. Protesters have demanded stricter immigration controls and accused foreign nationals of taking opportunities meant for locals.

Calls grow for sanctions and reprisals

Senator Victor Umeh told the senate that Nigeria should not tolerate what he described as the dehumanisation of its citizens. He argued that the African Union should impose sanctions on South Africa and said Nigeria should also consider retaliation.

Minority leader Abba Moro accused the South African government of failing to intervene in the interest of justice. Senator Adams Oshiomhole went further, calling for economic retaliation, including possible action against South African companies operating in Nigeria such as MTN and DStv.

Those comments signal a notable escalation. What began as public anger over attacks on migrants is now feeding into direct political calls for punitive steps against one of Africa’s biggest economies. That raises the risk of fallout beyond diplomacy and into trade and business.

South Africa’s response also comes into focus

President of the Nigerian senate Godswill Akpabio described the alleged attacks as “Stone Age behaviour” and criticised what he said was a lack of decisive action from the South African government. At the centre of the criticism is the belief among Nigerian lawmakers that Pretoria has not moved strongly enough to protect foreign nationals.

On Tuesday, South Africa’s international relations and co-operation minister Ronald Lamola held a telephone conversation with his Nigerian counterpart, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu. The call underscored how fast the issue has escalated from street-level unrest to high-level diplomatic engagement.

A familiar fault line reopens

The allegations have reopened one of the most sensitive fault lines in relations between South Africa and Nigeria. Nigeria’s lawmakers reminded the chamber of their country’s support for South Africa during apartheid and argued that such solidarity should count for more in the present moment.

For ordinary South Africans, the story now stretches beyond protests on the ground. It has become a wider warning about how violence against foreign nationals can damage South Africa’s reputation, strain continental ties and invite calls for retaliation against local interests abroad.