Nigeria and Ghana have agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation to address the rising wave of Afrophobic protests and attacks against African nationals, with both countries pledging to push for the issue to be formally discussed at the next African Union (AU) Summit.
The commitment followed a bilateral meeting between Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, and Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, held on the sidelines of the ongoing ECOWAS Mid-Year Summit in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
Details of the meeting were contained in a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and signed by its spokesperson, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa.
During the talks, both ministers expressed concern over the increasing incidents of Afrophobic protests and attacks directed at African nationals in South Africa, warning that such developments threaten African unity, regional integration and the continent’s vision for the free movement of people.
The two officials condemned all forms of xenophobia, Afrophobia and violence against fellow Africans, stressing that such actions contradict the ideals of Pan-Africanism and undermine the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
They agreed that African countries must work together to address the underlying causes of these tensions while ensuring the safety, dignity and rights of African migrants living across the continent.
The ministers also maintained that individuals found guilty of criminal activities should be prosecuted through lawful judicial processes rather than being subjected to mob violence or attacks that often target innocent and law-abiding migrants.
As part of their joint commitment, Nigeria and Ghana agreed to advocate for Afrophobia to be included on the agenda of the next African Union Summit. They also pledged to collaborate with other AU member states to promote stronger continental mechanisms, including improved monitoring systems, early warning measures and preventive diplomacy aimed at reducing tensions before they escalate.
Beyond discussions on migration and regional security, the meeting also focused on historical justice and continental cooperation. Ambassador Enikanolaiye commended Ghana for its leadership in promoting Pan-Africanism and advancing the campaign for reparations over the trans-Atlantic Slave Trade and colonialism.
He congratulated Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama on the adoption of the landmark United Nations resolution on the Transatlantic Slave Trade and the successful hosting of the Next Steps High-Level Conference, reaffirming Nigeria’s support for the conference’s resolutions on reparative justice. In response, Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister congratulated Enikanolaiye on his recent appointment and called for stronger collaboration between both countries through practical and action-driven preventive diplomacy.
Ablakwa also acknowledged Nigeria’s support for the UN resolution and commended the contributions made by the Nigerian delegation during the high-level conference on reparative justice. Both ministers reaffirmed the enduring relationship between Nigeria and Ghana, pledging to deepen cooperation within ECOWAS, the African Union and other multilateral institutions in pursuit of a more peaceful, united and prosperous Africa.
