Relationship dossier
Nigeria
South Africa
Relationship assessment
Bilateral cooperation through a Bi-National Commission is tempered by recurring tensions over xenophobic violence.
Nigeria toward South Africa
+20Nigeria has used bilateral engagement with South Africa to address attacks on Nigerians. In 2019, its government protested the violence and arranged the evacuation of citizens, while pursuing agreements on preventing further attacks through the Bi-National Commission.
South Africa toward Nigeria
+20South Africa has engaged Nigeria through the Bi-National Commission and agreed to measures addressing xenophobic violence and related bilateral concerns. Attacks on Nigerians in South Africa have nevertheless caused recurring strain in relations.
Overall relationship
+20The relationship combines sustained diplomatic and institutional cooperation through a Bi-National Commission with a significant recurring source of tension: xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa and the resulting bilateral responses.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Nigeria and South Africa maintain a formal Bi-National Commission and have pursued bilateral cooperation, including agreements on political consultation and preventing xenophobic violence. Relations have also faced recurring strain over attacks on Nigerians in South Africa, which prompted Nigerian protests and the evacuation of citizens in 2019.
Areas of tension
- Attacks on Nigerians and Nigerian-owned businesses in South Africa, including the 2019 violence.
- Disputes over protection of Nigerian nationals and South African government responses to xenophobic violence.
Key developments
Nigeria and South Africa established a Bi-National Commission to structure bilateral cooperation.
After xenophobic attacks in South Africa, Nigeria protested and arranged the evacuation of citizens; the countries pursued agreements addressing the violence during President Buhari's visit.
Major uncertainties
- The implementation and continuing scope of agreements reached through the Bi-National Commission are unclear.
- The scale and follow-through of measures to prevent attacks on Nigerians in South Africa are uncertain.