Nigeria, Ghana agree to tackle Afrophobic protests across Africa

Nigeria and Ghana have pledged to enhance their cooperation in addressing the rising incidents of Afrophobic protests and attacks targeting African nationals across the continent. The two West African nations agreed to advocate for the issue to be included on the agenda of the upcoming African Union Summit.

The commitment was detailed in a statement released by Nigeria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs following a bilateral meeting between Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, and Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa. The meeting occurred on the sidelines of the ongoing ECOWAS Mid-Year Summit in Freetown, Sierra Leone.

Both ministers expressed profound concern regarding recent Afrophobic protests and attacks against African nationals, particularly in South Africa. They emphasized that such incidents damage African unity, hinder regional integration, and impede the free movement of people. The ministers strongly condemned xenophobia, Afrophobia, intolerance, and violence directed at fellow Africans, stating these acts contradict the core ideals of Pan-Africanism and the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

They called for coordinated regional and continental strategies to tackle the root causes of these tensions, safeguard the lives and dignity of African migrants, and foster peaceful coexistence among African communities. The ministers stressed that any criminals within migrant populations should be dealt with strictly according to the law, rather than subjected to violence or mob justice that often harms innocent citizens. They further committed to working together to ensure Afrophobia is formally addressed at the next AU Summit and to collaborate with other member states to strengthen AU mechanisms, including improved monitoring, early warning systems, and preventive diplomacy.

During the meeting, Enikanolaiye praised Ghana's leadership in championing Pan-Africanism and advocating for reparations for historical injustices. He congratulated Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama on a significant UN resolution concerning the Transatlantic Slave Trade and the successful hosting of a related high-level conference. Ablakwa, in turn, congratulated Enikanolaiye on his new appointment and urged closer, action-oriented collaboration between Nigeria and Ghana. He also acknowledged Nigeria’s support for the UN resolution and its delegation's contributions to the reparative justice conference. Both ministers reaffirmed the strong, long-standing relationship between their countries and pledged continued collaboration within ECOWAS, the African Union, and other multilateral forums.

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criminals among migrant populations should be dealt with in accordance with the rule of law and not be subjected to violence or mob attacks that often affect innocent and law-abiding African citizens.