Xenophobic Attacks: FG Begins Compensation Drive for Nigerians, Rolls Out Loss-Tracking Form
By: Oluwaseun M. Lawal
The Federal Government says it isn’t folding its arms. Not this time.
After days of tension and fear following fresh xenophobic attacks in South Africa, Abuja has moved to both count the losses and demand accountability. A compensation process is now in motion, officials say, starting with a newly designed form for affected Nigerians to document what they lost — shops, homes, businesses. Everything.
On Tuesday, July 28, 2026, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sola Enikanolaiye, stepped out of the Presidential Villa with updates after briefing President Bola Tinubu. The meeting followed Tinubu’s directive to receive South Africa’s Special Envoy and Foreign Minister, Ronald LaLamola. It was serious talk. Diplomatic, but serious.
According to Enikanolaiye, nearly 1,490 Nigerians have already been evacuated. Planes arranged. Names cleared. But others are still undecided, some willing to return home if given the chance. The government, he said, is looking for more funds to make that possible. Logistics isn’t cheap.
Tinubu reportedly described the attacks as “Afrophobic.” Not just xenophobia. A deeper hostility against fellow Africans. And he believes the continent must confront it together, not pretend it’s isolated.
Behind the scenes, Nigeria and South Africa are reactivating structures like the Bi-National Commission and an early warning system meant to detect rising tensions before they explode. That’s the theory, anyway.
On compensation, the government insists it will rely on verified data. No guesswork.
“We have designed a form,” Enikanolaiye explained, “for Nigerians who may have lost properties. We want to proceed based on data — and the quantum of their losses.”
In simple terms: show the damage. Put numbers to it. Then table the claims.
For now, Abuja says diplomacy comes first. Talks are ongoing. But the minister made one thing clear — Nigeria has options. It is not helpless in this situation. And if negotiations stall, other steps could follow.
Quiet diplomacy. Firm demands. A careful balance.
The next move now, many hope, will bring both justice and peace.
Oluwaseun Musa Lawal is an Editor at REPORTERS ROOM with over eight years of professional journalism experience. He specializes in reporting on politics, climate change, health, and education, while also covering security, economic, and judicial affairs. His work is driven by a commitment to accuracy, balanced reporting, and public-interest journalism.
