The Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Republic of Ghana have agreed to work together to confront the resurgence of Afrophobic protests and violence targeting Africans across the continent.
The commitment was made during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the ECOWAS Mid-Year Summit in Freetown, Sierra Leone, on Friday, 17th July 2026.
Leading the Nigerian delegation, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sola Enikanolaiye, conveyed President Bola Tinubu’s greetings to President John Mahama of Ghana.
Ministers of both countries held frank discussions on recent Afrophobic incidents in South Africa. They expressed deep concern that such attacks undermine African unity, the principle of free movement, and the objectives of the African Continental Free Trade Area, AfCFTA.
Both countries condemned all forms of xenophobia and violence against Africans. They stressed that criminal acts involving migrants must be handled according to the rule of law, and not through mob actions that endanger innocent and law-abiding African citizens.
To address the challenge, Nigeria and Ghana agreed to push for Afrophobia to be placed on the agenda of the next African Union, AU Summit
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They would advocate for stronger AU mechanisms, including early warning systems and preventive diplomacy. They will also work with other like-minded AU member-states to ensure a coordinated continental response.
Both ministers also called on all AU member-states to recommit to the principles of Pan-Africanism, mutual respect, and free movement, and to support public education to combat prejudice.
Enikanolaiye commended Ghana’s leadership in championing Pan-Africanism and reparative justice for Africans and people of African descent.
He congratulated President Mahama on the landmark UN resolution on the Transatlantic Slave Trade and on hosting the recent High-Level Conference, adding that Nigeria fully aligns with the Conference’s decisions.
In his response, Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, welcomed Enikanolaiye’s appointment and called for continuous, bureaucracy-free collaboration between both countries.
He also acknowledged Nigeria’s support for the UN resolution and for reparative justice, noting apologies already received from the Pope, the Church of England, and the Church of Scotland, as well as restitution efforts by several European countries.
The meeting concluded with a shared commitment by Nigeria and Ghana to continue collaborating within ECOWAS, the African Union, and other multilateral platforms to build a more peaceful, inclusive, and prosperous Africa.
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(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
