Nigeria and Ghana have pledged closer cooperation to address the growing cases of Afrophobic protests and attacks against African nationals, agreeing to seek the inclusion of the issue on the agenda of the next African Union (AU) Summit.
​The agreement was made official on Saturday, July 18, 2026, during a bilateral meeting between Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, and Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa. The diplomatic talks took place on the sidelines of the ongoing ECOWAS Mid-Year Summit in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
​According to a statement released by Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, spokesperson for Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, both nations expressed deep concern over the targeted hostility and violent demonstrations against fellow Africans, particularly referencing recent unrest in South Africa. The ministers noted that these escalating Afrophobic sentiments directly undermine African unity, regional integration, and the free movement of people across the continent.
​The ministers issued a strong joint condemnation of xenophobia and Afrophobia, highlighting that such acts fly in the face of Pan-African ideals and threaten the success of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
​”Acts of intolerance and violence against fellow Africans are contrary to the foundational values of our continent’s integration,” the statement read.
To combat this, Nigeria and Ghana are calling for a coordinated regional and continental framework designed to address the root causes of socio-economic tensions driving anti-migrant sentiments.
It will Protect the lives, dignity, and assets of African migrants living in sister nations and foster peaceful coexistence and mutual respect among diverse African communities.
​While advocating for the safety of law-abiding citizens, the diplomats also emphasized that individual criminals within migrant populations should be dealt with strictly through the appropriate legal channels, rather than allowing entire diaspora communities to be collectively targeted.
​By taking a united stance, Abuja and Accra aim to use the next African Union Summit to lobby for institutional interventions that will ensure no African is dehumanized on African soil.
