Nigeria Labour Union Sends Strong Message to South Africa Over Xenophobic Attacks on Foreigners

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called on the Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) to take urgent and coordinated action against rising xenophobic violence targeting African migrants in South Africa, warning that continued attacks threaten continental working-class unity.

In a letter dated May 7, 2026, addressed to COSATU, NLC President Joe Ajaero said labour movements must not remain silent while migrant workers are subjected to violence and discrimination.

“We cannot fight for the working class while allowing a section of that class to be hunted like wild animals,” Ajaero stated, urging South African unions to intensify education and awareness campaigns across workplaces and communities.

He stressed that migrant workers should not be blamed for economic hardship, arguing instead that they are often victims of broader systemic failures.

“The migrant worker is not the cause of poverty but a victim of the same system,” he said, calling for efforts to dismantle narratives that portray African migrants as economic competitors or enemies.

The NLC also condemned recent reports of violence and destruction of businesses owned by African migrants in South Africa, describing the situation as a consequence of deepening economic frustration and governance challenges.

It further accused authorities of insufficient intervention, alleging that inadequate enforcement has allowed attacks to persist.

According to the congress, political and economic frustrations are increasingly being redirected toward vulnerable migrant communities rather than addressing structural inequalities.

Ajaero urged that African workers share a common struggle against economic systems that prioritise profit over social welfare, stating: “Our common enemy is not the migrant worker, but the structures that perpetuate inequality.”

The NLC called for stronger protection measures for migrants, swift prosecution of perpetrators of xenophobic violence, and compensation for affected victims and families.

It also proposed an emergency convening of African trade union bodies under the African Regional Organisation of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa) and the Organisation of African Trade Union Unity (OATUU) to develop coordinated frameworks for protecting migrant workers across the continent.

“Xenophobia is a danger that must be urgently addressed before it spreads further across Africa,” Ajaero warned, emphasising that labour solidarity remains essential to broader social liberation.

The statement follows renewed public debate in Nigeria, including calls from former Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole for action against South African companies operating in Nigeria, after reports of the killings of two Nigerians in separate incidents in South Africa.