Yusuf Tuggar, Nigeria’s former Foreign Affairs Minister, condemned the targeting of Black Africans in South Africa, describing the violence as Afrophobia rather than mere xenophobia. Speaking at the Bridge Club’s 2026 grand event, Tuggar argued the attacks are ill-timed for Nigeria, which relies on diaspora engagement as a pillar of its Strategic Autonomy foreign policy. He noted the violence contradicts the continent’s need for robust Pan-African solidarity.
Tuggar distinguished the unrest from general anti-migration protests, asserting non-Black Africans appear exempt, pointing to a racial dimension. He emphasized Nigeria’s historical commitment to African liberation, including hosting victims of the 1976 Soweto massacre, makes the current targeting incomprehensible. "Theory was successfully put into praxis," Tuggar stated, referencing past efforts to translate anti-apartheid ideals into policy, a standard he believes is undermined by the violence.
The former minister traced psychological scars of segregation to colonial architects like Lord Frederick Lugard and Jan Smuts, whose systems of cultural and institutional separation left lasting divisions. He argued these endogenous factors, combined with failed post-colonial economic strategies, exacerbated tensions. Tuggar criticized reliance on Structural Adjustment Programmes that discouraged manufacturing, contrasting this with the vision of the African Economic Community, a precursor to the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Tuggar highlighted three ironies: the path to Pan-Africanism lies through the AfCFTA, free trade requires free labor circulation, and the AfCFTA is headed by a South African. He called for intellectual rigor to tackle anti-migrant sentiments, citing scholar Kenneth Dike who challenged narratives of African unhistory. He also questioned exogenous influences, asking who funds campaigns like Operation Dudala and whether online hashtags are organic or engineered.
Despite tensions, Tuggar affirmed the Nigeria-South Africa partnership, noting their joint creation of NEPAD and South Africa’s support for Nigeria’s G20 aspirations. He urged both nations to move beyond historical grievances and focus on continental development. The remarks were delivered as chairman of the event, featuring Professor PLO Lumumba as keynote speaker. Tuggar framed the discussion as a step toward resilient Pan-Africanism amid rising challenges.