LAGOS, July 18, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Nigeria and Ghana condemn the ongoing anti-
immigrant violence in South Africa and want the issue of "Afrophobia" 
discussed at the next African Union summit, Abuja said on Saturday.

South Africa been swept by weeks of protests and unrest targeting 
undocumented immigrants, causing tens of thousands to flee the country.

Nearly 150,000 people have left in recent weeks, according to an AFP tally 
based on figures provided by African countries that have repatriated their 
nationals.

On Friday, the foreign ministers of Ghana and Nigeria discussed the "recent 
Afrophobic protests and incidents targeting African nationals in South 
Africa", the Nigerian government said.

"(They) condemned all forms of xenophobia, Afrophobia, intolerance and 
violence against fellow Africans," it said.

The two ministers from west Africa's largest economies were meeting on the 
sidelines of a gathering of west African economic bloc ECOWAS in Liberia.

Nigeria has evacuated 1,490 nationals from South Africa, while Ghana has 
repatriated at least 926.

South Africa, the continent's weathiest nation, has long been magnet for 
migrants.

The ministers stressed the need for "urgent, coordinated regional and 
continental responses" to address the causes behind the anti-immigrant 
tensions.

Ghana's Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and Nigeria's Sola Enikanolaiye said 
Afrophobia should be raised at the next summit of the pan-African AU early 
next year.

In May, Ghana requested an AU debate on "xenophophic attacks" in South 
Africa. It was not clear if it materialised.

Earlier this month, Ghana said a visit to Accra by South African President 
Cyril Ramaphosa had been postponed.