The President of the Africa Development Study Centre (ADSC), Victor Oluwafemi, has called on the federal government to take urgent and decisive diplomatic action over the recurring attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.
Oluwafemi, an international development consultant and member of the Harvard Business Review Advisory Council, said the safety of Nigerians abroad is a sovereign responsibility that must not be treated as optional.
In a statement issued at the weekend, he warned that the continued violent targeting of Nigerians in South Africa requires immediate and visible intervention from Abuja.
He expressed concern that Nigeria currently has no substantive ambassador to South Africa, describing the situation as a “strategic gap” at a time when tensions and vulnerabilities persist.
“An ambassador is not deployed for ceremony alone. An ambassador represents national authority, deterrence, crisis engagement, and the structured defence of citizens.
“Strategic countries must never remain diplomatically underrepresented,” Oluwafemi stated.
He urged the federal government to immediately appoint and deploy a substantive ambassador to South Africa, while also accelerating ambassadorial postings to other high-risk jurisdictions.
He stated that diplomatic representation must go beyond protocol and focus on citizen protection and national reputation management.
He also called on the government to summon the South African high commissioner in Abuja, for formal engagement and demand clear assurances on the safety of Nigerian nationals.
Oluwafemi insisted that incidents involving the killing or violent targeting of Nigerians abroad must trigger visible diplomatic action within 24 hours, warning that delayed responses weaken deterrence and embolden further attacks.
“This issue extends beyond a single country,” he said, adding that a troubling perception is emerging in parts of the continent that Nigeria can be treated with “casual disregard.”
He noted that regulatory hostility, inflammatory public rhetoric and sporadic violence against Nigerians risk becoming normalised if not confronted decisively.
“Nigeria is Africa’s largest population and one of its leading economies. Its citizens must never be treated as expendable,” he said.
Oluwafemi argued that repeated attacks without consequences affect investor confidence, diaspora morale, bilateral negotiations and Nigeria’s continental leadership credibility.
“Reputation is national infrastructure,” he said, stressing that citizen protection must be deliberately embedded into Nigeria’s foreign policy architecture, with measurable and accountable diplomatic performance benchmarks.
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He urged the minister of foreign affairs to strengthen rapid response protocols, establish structured escalation mechanisms for diaspora-related incidents and ensure missions in sensitive jurisdictions operate with clear protective mandates.
He also called on the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission to intensify risk mapping, improve crisis reporting channels and strengthen structured engagement with host authorities to better protect Nigerians in vulnerable environments.
While demanding protection and respect for Nigerians abroad, Oluwafemi cautioned that citizens must also uphold the laws of their host countries and conduct themselves responsibly.
“National reputation is shaped not only by statecraft but by citizen behaviour. Nigerians abroad must serve as responsible ambassadors of our values, enterprise, and discipline,” he said.
He added that the protection of Nigerian lives and the preservation of the country’s global standing require urgency, clarity and decisive leadership, warning that “the time for hesitation has passed.”
