Nigeria has stepped up pressure on South Africa over attacks on its citizens, suspending official parliamentary visits and pulling its lawmakers and staff out of legislative activities organised by South African institutions.
The National Assembly announced the decision on Friday, September 11, 2026, after consultations between the leadership of the Senate and House of Representatives over what it described as continuing xenophobic attacks against Nigerians and other Africans in South Africa.
The suspension will remain in force until further notice and covers lawmakers, parliamentary committees, officials and staff of the National Assembly.
According to the Nigerian parliament, the decision was driven by reports of Nigerians being killed, injured and forced to leave their homes and businesses, with some losing investments and other property in the process.
"The National Assembly has resolved to suspend all official visits to the Republic of South Africa and to boycott South African-hosted or South African-organised legislative activities and engagements until further notice,” Clerk to the National Assembly Kamoru Ogunlana said in the communication.
The directive extends to both physical and online engagements involving South African legislative institutions. It includes conferences, seminars, workshops, meetings, parliamentary exchanges and other events that are organised, hosted, sponsored or co-sponsored by South African legislative bodies.
Nigerian lawmakers, committees or officials who wish to participate in any such engagement will now require express approval from the leadership of the National Assembly.
The parliamentary boycott adds a new layer to Nigeria’s response to the violence, after the federal government took steps to remove affected Nigerians from South Africa.
By July, Nigeria said it had evacuated 1,490 citizens from the country through several flights arranged in cooperation with Nigerian and South African authorities.
The government had also demanded action over the deaths of two Nigerians in South Africa in June.
Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Emeka Charles Iroegbu was reportedly killed by Tshwane Metro Police officers in Pretoria on June 28. On the same day, Musa Yunana Joe, also known as Big Joe, was killed outside his shop in Witbank.
The ministry called for investigations into the two deaths and prosecution of those found responsible.
The National Assembly said it was troubled by the continued attacks despite repeated appeals by Nigeria and other stakeholders for South African authorities to safeguard Nigerians and other foreign nationals.
The House of Representatives had already begun examining the attacks in July, including the deaths, injuries, property losses and assets abandoned by Nigerians who left affected areas.
With the latest directive, Nigeria has now moved from expressing concern and seeking investigations to restricting formal parliamentary interaction with South African institutions.
The issue has also gained attention at the continental level after President Bola Tinubu raised concerns about xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks in South Africa at the African Union.
Vice President Kashim Shettima, representing Tinubu at an AU meeting in Luanda, Angola, said Nigeria wanted the issue considered by the AU Assembly scheduled for January 2027.
““Nigeria wishes to express its concern over the recurring xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks against Africans and other nationals in South Africa,” Shettima said.
Shettima later said Nigeria remained ready to engage South Africa through dialogue but would not accept the mistreatment of Nigerians.
Despite the suspension, Nigeria has made clear that it does not intend to break diplomatic relations with South Africa.
The National Assembly said the decision to halt parliamentary engagements does not affect the longstanding historical and people-to-people ties that have existed between the two countries.