Nigeria is intensifying diplomatic pressure on South Africa after a new wave of anti-immigrant demonstrations and attacks targeting foreign nationals, many of them Nigerians, in several South African cities. Abuja has announced plans to formally seek compensation for citizens who were assaulted, displaced, or forced to abandon their businesses and homes.

Nigerian officials say the latest unrest follows a familiar pattern in South Africa, where periodic outbursts of xenophobic violence have left shops looted, properties torched, and migrants living in fear. Nigerian-owned businesses, from small retail outlets to service companies, have again been singled out by hostile crowds accusing foreigners of taking jobs and driving crime.

Abuja’s foreign ministry has summoned South Africa’s envoy to protest what it calls a failure to protect legally resident migrants. Nigerian diplomats are compiling an inventory of losses, including destroyed goods, vandalised premises, and personal injuries, as the basis for a formal compensation claim. Authorities are also working with diaspora groups to document testimonies from victims who say they were targeted solely because of their nationality.

The Nigerian government argues that South Africa has clear obligations under regional and international law to safeguard all residents, regardless of origin. Officials insist that compensation is not only about money but about accountability and deterrence, signalling that repeated cycles of violence cannot continue without consequence.

The attacks have reignited public anger in Nigeria, where memories remain fresh of earlier episodes of xenophobic violence in South Africa. Civil society organisations and lawmakers are urging Abuja to take a tougher line, including reviewing bilateral agreements and economic ties if Nigerian lives and livelihoods remain at risk.

South African authorities have condemned the violence and promised investigations, but critics say responses have been inconsistent and often come only after significant damage has been done. Analysts note that deep-rooted socio-economic frustrations in South Africa, including high unemployment and inequality, are frequently channelled against migrants, who become convenient scapegoats.

Nigeria’s push for compensation is emerging as a test case for how African states respond when their citizens are attacked elsewhere on the continent. For many observers, the outcome will signal whether regional solidarity and legal protections can move beyond rhetoric to provide real remedies for victims of xenophobic violence.