The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to protecting Nigerian businesses and investments in Angola, while South African authorities have assured Nigerian travellers that the country remains safe for legitimate visitors.
The two developments came amid renewed attention on the experiences and safety of Nigerians and other foreign nationals across Southern Africa.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, gave the assurance during a visit to Cidade De Motores, also known as the City of Engines, in Golf 2, Luanda, where Nigerian auto spare-parts dealers have established a major market.
The minister was in Angola in connection with the 21st Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union.
During her visit, Odumegwu-Ojukwu expressed pride in the Nigerian traders and described their achievement as a demonstration of the pioneering spirit of Nigerians and an example of what Nigerians can accomplish abroad.
She said the Federal Government would prioritise the protection of Nigerian businesses and investments in future bilateral engagements with Angola, particularly during the next Nigeria-Angola Joint Commission.
President of the United Auto Parts Dealers Association, Chuks Ukachi, thanked the minister for visiting the market.
Ukachi explained that the project was established after Angolan authorities stopped Nigerian traders from operating along the roadside, leaving many traders without business for about two years.
Meanwhile, the South African government has assured Nigerian travellers that the country remains safe for legitimate visitors.
Acting High Commissioner and Consul-General of South Africa, Prof. Bobby Moroe, gave the assurance during the South Africa Tourism Connect event in Lagos.
Moroe addressed concerns surrounding the safety and treatment of foreign nationals in South Africa, urging Nigerians not to allow isolated incidents reported in the mainstream and social media to determine their overall perception of the country.
He said the South African government condemned criminality in all its forms, stressing that crime has no nationality.
Moroe also referred to the South African Constitution, which he said recognises the country as being for all who live in it, while distinguishing between illegal migration and undocumented migration.
The tourism event brought together representatives of South African Tourism, South African Airways, the Nigeria–South Africa Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Nigeria Travel Agencies and the National Association of Nigeria Tour Operators.
The assurance came as tensions over undocumented migration continued in parts of South Africa.
In Durban, a demonstration against undocumented migrants reportedly turned violent, with police confirming the arrest of one foreign national.
The protest involved about 100 people from an anti-illegal-migrant group who embarked on what they described as a “clean-up campaign” around an encampment housing several hundred foreign nationals outside a government office.
Many of those at the site are from the Democratic Republic of Congo and had reportedly moved there about 13 weeks earlier while seeking protection from anti-migrant attacks.
The latest incident highlights the continuing tensions surrounding migration and the treatment of foreign nationals in South Africa, even as authorities seek to reassure international visitors and strengthen tourism and economic ties with countries such as Nigeria.
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