Nigerian, South African Lawmakers Clash Over Xenophobia At Commonwealth Summit

A heated diplomatic row broke out between Nigerian and South African lawmakers at the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Africa Region Conference in Lilongwe, Malawi.

The confrontation erupted during a parliamentary session over how the continent should officially define and handle recurring violent attacks against foreign nationals living in South Africa.

The conference, which convened over 300 parliamentarians and government officials from across Africa, was organized to deliberate on key issues surrounding democracy, governance, and human rights.

Trouble started when members of the Nigerian delegation insisted that the persistent violence against foreign citizens in South Africa must be explicitly classified as “xenophobia” in official conference records.

The Nigerian delegates argued that avoiding the term conceals systemic hatred and targeted discrimination against African migrants.

In a swift counter-argument, the South African delegation rejected the classification, insisting that regional debates should instead center on the challenges of illegal migration and the enforcement of domestic border laws.