Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Femi Falana calls on the Federal Government to impose economic sanctions on South African businesses operating in Nigeria in response to recurring xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa. Falana says repeated incidents include harassment and the destruction of Nigerians’ businesses, and argues that diplomatic protests alone are not enough to compel South Africa to act decisively. He urges Nigeria to use a reciprocity approach in international relations and to consider measures beyond official complaints, including stronger economic steps against firms tied to South Africa’s investments. Falana also suggests Nigeria could lodge a complaint with the African Union, but he argues enforcement may be limited because of South Africa’s influence within the organisation. He further calls on Nigerians to reduce patronage of South African-owned companies where alternatives are available, mentioning MTN, and he proposes revoking mining licences held by South African companies in Nigeria. As part of his argument, Falana references Nigeria’s historical action against British Petroleum during apartheid-era measures and criticises the Nigerian government for not providing adequate protection for its citizens abroad. He also highlights delays in making it possible for Nigerians to access the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
Falana urges Nigeria to sanction South African firms over xenophobic attacks
Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Femi Falana calls on the Federal Government to impose economic sanctions on South African businesses operating in Nigeria in response to recurr...
- Femi Falana urges Nigeria to impose economic sanctions on South African companies operating in Nigeria.
- He links the call to recurring xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa, including damage to Nigerians’ businesses.
- Falana argues diplomatic protests alone are unlikely to change South Africa’s actions.
- He suggests measures such as urging Nigerians to avoid South African firms (including MTN) and revoking South African mining licences in Nigeria.
- He says Nigeria could complain to the African Union, but expects enforcement may be limited.
Human rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria Femi Falana has called on the Federal Government to impose economic sanctions on South African companies operating in Nigeria in response to repeated xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and the destruction of their businesses in South Africa.Speaking with journalists in Ilawe-Ekiti, Falana argued that diplomatic protests alone would not force Pretoria to act decisively. He said Nigeria should apply the principle of reciprocity in international relations.Falana noted that while the government could lodge a complaint with the African Union, the move would likely have limited effect because of South Africa’s influence within the body, which could result in resolutions without enforcement.He maintained that Nigeria has a duty to respond when its citizens are driven out of South Africa and their businesses destroyed. He urged Nigerians to switch from South African-owned firms where alternatives exist, specifically mentioning telecommunications giant MTN, as a way to send a strong message. He also called for the revocation of mining licences held by South African companies in Nigeria.Falana referenced Nigeria’s nationalisation of British Petroleum in the 1970s over apartheid as a historical precedent, saying similar steps against South African investments could be considered if necessary.At the same time, he criticised the Nigerian government for failing to adequately protect its citizens from harassment and rights violations across Africa. He pointed out that Nigeria has not deposited the instruments needed to allow its nationals to bring individual cases before the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights in Arusha, Tanzania.“If Nigerians could approach the African Court in the same way citizens can approach the ECOWAS Court in Abuja, South Africa would have been dragged before the court by victims of xenophobic attacks,” he said. He challenged the government to grant citizens access to the continental court without further delay.
4 hours agoHuman rights lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, Femi Falana, has called on the Federal Government to impose economic sanctions on South African companies operating in Nigeria in response to recurring xenophobic attacks against Nigerians and the destruction of their businesses in South Africa. Falana said diplomatic protests alone would not compel the South […] Sanction South African businesses over xenophobic attacks on Nigerians – Falana tells FG.
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