Nigeria says it has begun collecting claims from citizens who lost property in recent attacks in South Africa as President Bola Tinubu’s administration prepares to file formal compensation demands and intensifies diplomatic efforts to prevent further violence.
Deputy foreign affairs minister Sola Enikanolaiye said Abuja had initiated a data‑collection process to quantify losses suffered by Nigerians following a wave of Afrophobia‑linked assaults that have targeted migrants from other African countries.
“We have designed a form to be filled by all Nigerians who may have lost property in South Africa. We want to proceed on the basis of data and the quantum of losses they have suffered before tabling our compensation claims,” he said.
Enikanolaiye said Nigerians affected by the attacks would be required to complete official forms documenting the value of property destroyed or stolen, enabling the government to present evidence‑based compensation claims to Pretoria.
He said Nigeria preferred a negotiated settlement but would retain other options if diplomacy failed, stressing that all Nigerians – regardless of immigration status – deserve protection under the law.
The latest violence comes amid renewed Afrophobia in South Africa where nationals of other Africans have faced periodic attacks driven by accusations of job theft, crime and pressure on public services.
These tensions have triggered repeated cycles of displacement, business destruction and clashes between local groups and migrant communities.
Nigeria has evacuated about 1,400 of its citizens since the most recent incidents.
Enikanolaiye briefed Tinubu on Tuesday after meeting South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s special envoy and foreign minister Ronald Lamola.
He said South Africa had committed to activating an early‑warning mechanism and strengthening the Nigeria–South Africa Bi‑National Commission to help prevent further attacks.
JN/APA