Presidents Buhari, Ramaphosa To Meet On Consular, Trade Issues

President of Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari and President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa are set to meet in person this October to discuss strengthening trade ties between the two nations. 

According to Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant Garba Shehu the Nigerian President has accepted an invitation to visit South Africa.

Among the topics for discussion will be how to promote trade and investment in Africa’s two largest economies, as well as consular issues such as the wellbeing of the Nigerian community in South Africa.

Relations between the two countries have come under strain following a string of xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa. According to the Chief Executive Officer of Nigerians in the Diaspora Commission, Abike Dabiri-Erewa, as of 2016 118 Nigerians have been killed in South Africa, with 88 killed since 2016.

A call by the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) to expel South African businesses in retaliation has been denounced by the South African government, which has called for dialogue. The South African High Commissioner to Nigeria Mr Bobby Moroe last month confirmed that the South African government had commenced an investigation into recent attacks and expressed regret regarding the killings.