Xenophobia: Nigerian lawmaker canvasses revocation of MTN, DStv licences, other SA companies

The escalating xenophobic attacks against Nigerians in South Africa have ignited a firestorm of anger and calls for decisive action within Nigeria. Senator Adams Oshiomhole's recent proposal to revoke the licenses of South African companies like MTN and DStv reflects a potent sentiment brewing across the nation, a sentiment that Premium Times is closely monitoring.

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It is time to reciprocate. This Senate should adopt a position that MTN, a South African company that is carting away millions of dollars from Nigerians everyday, that Nigeria nationalise it and withdraw its licence so that the Nigerian company can take over the MTN business and recruit more people.

Oshiomhole's stance is not merely about diplomatic protest; it's a demand for economic reciprocity. He argues that Nigeria has long been a lucrative market for South African businesses, yet its citizens face brutal violence in return. This perspective resonates with many Nigerians who feel that their government has been too passive in protecting its citizens abroad and that stronger measures are needed to deter further aggression.

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The second is that we ask the minister of communication or the federal government to revoke the Dstv, which is also a South African company that is carting away millions of dollars even abusing and resorting to practices that’ll not even be acceptable in South Africa

From a Nigerian perspective, the issue transcends mere inter-state relations. It touches upon national pride, the safety of citizens, and the perceived imbalance in economic and social interactions between the two African giants. The call for nationalizing businesses like MTN and DStv is seen by proponents not as an act of aggression, but as a necessary assertion of sovereignty and a means to create opportunities for Nigerian enterprises and employment. Premium Times understands that while diplomacy has its place, for many Nigerians, the time for strong, tangible responses has arrived.

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I don’t want this Senate to be shedding tears to sympathise with those who have died. We didn’t come here to shed tears and I’m not going to shed tears. If you hit me, I’ll hit you. It is an economic struggle.