08/05/2026
The Shame of Nigerian Parliament's Xenophobia Debacle
By Blessing Mabunda
The recent debates in the Nigerian parliament over alleged "xenophobic" attacks on illegal foreigners in South Africa have been a cringe-worthy display of ignorance and stupidity. The senators' knee-jerk reaction to threaten sanctions on a country doing better economically than Nigeria is laughable if it weren't so tragic.
How can a country struggling with its own economic woes dictate terms to South Africa?
And let's set the record straight: MTN and DSTV in Nigeria aren't charity cases for South Africa. Thousands of Nigerians work for these companies, and the government rakes in taxes. These companies are privately owned, not by the South African government, but by individuals who aren't even black South Africans. So, who's really getting hurt here?
The real shame is that a parliament member's antics are now social media fodder. Instead of grandstanding, maybe they should focus on fixing Nigeria's own backyard. Revoking licenses and seeing who suffers might just show them the mirror.
If Nigeria were to revoke their licenses, ordinary Nigerians would suffer the most through job losses, reduced investment confidence, and weakened telecommunications and broadcasting sectors.
Another misleading narrative is the claim that neighbouring countries such as Botswana and Zimbabwe have “closed borders” with South Africa. Such statements are simply false and demonstrate how poorly informed some lawmakers are.
South Africa has every right to address illegal immigration, just like every sovereign nation in the world. Criticising crime or illegal entry into the country should not automatically be labelled as xenophobia. Genuine xenophobic violence must always be condemned, but there must also be room for honest discussions about border security, economic pressure, and law enforcement without emotional manipulation.
African leaders must stop using populist rhetoric for headlines and start engagi
