Yusuf Tuggar Condemns Afrophobia Against Nigerians in South Africa

Former Nigerian Minister of Foreign Affairs Yusuf Tuggar condemned the targeting of Nigerians and other black Africans in South Africa, characterizing the violence as Afrophobia. Speaking at The Bridge Club 2026 end-year event in Lagos, Tuggar argued that non-black Africans appear exempt from these anti-migrant sentiments, suggesting the term Afrophobia is a more accurate description than xenophobia.

Tuggar traced the roots of this hostility to colonial administrative practices and the psychological scars of the apartheid era's Homelands policy. He contrasted current hostilities with Nigeria's historical support for South African liberation, citing the provision of scholarships to Soweto massacre victims and the hosting of the World Conference Against Apartheid. While acknowledging these historical roots, he insisted that "context is not justification" for discrimination.

Tuggar questioned whether external actors are funding anti-migrant campaigns such as Operation Dudala and March & March, and whether online hashtags serving as rallying points are organic or engendered from outside South Africa. He urged African nations to utilize the African Continental Free Trade Area to move toward industrialization and regional economic integration.

Abdulhakeem Mustapha, President of The Bridge Club, stated that such violence undermines Pan-African aspirations for a united continent. The event also featured keynote speaker P. L. O. Lumumba.