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South Africa Frets as NANS Ask S/A Owned Firms to Leave Nigeria
South Africa has expressed concern over the call by the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) for the expulsion of South Africans and protest at South African owned businesses in Nigeria.
The country made its feelings known in a statement issued by Ms Anna-Maria Jojozi, Counsellor in-charge of Political Affairs at the South African High Commission in Abuja.
Jojozi quoted Dr Naledi Pandor, Minister, International Relations and Cooperation, to have expressed the feeling at the South African Development Community meeting held in South Africa on Sunday.
She said that the meeting sought to discuss President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa official visit to President John Magufuli of Tanzania, for the SADC Summit, from Wednesday to Thursday.
Jojozi said: “I wish to express my department’s concern regarding statements said to emanate from student organisation in Nigeria, calling for expulsion of South Africans and protests at South African owned businesses.
“The protests are said to be in response to alleged killings of Nigerians by South Africans; as you are aware these allegations are devoid of truth, reckless and unwarranted.
“We find these statements most unfortunate as they do not reflect the strong relations that exist between the people and the Government of South Africa and Nigeria.
“The two countries enjoy strong bilateral relations, which were forged over many years during our struggle for liberation in South Africa; also, in this democratic era supported by the people and Government of Nigeria.”
Jojozi said South Africa’s Acting High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr Bobby Moroe, had held several meetings with the police and other senior government officials in Nigeria.
She said South Africa had established contact from the highest level of the Nigerian Government and received assurances that authorities in Nigeria were taking the calls for protests seriously.
“They have also assured us that South African citizens and their property in Nigeria will be protected.
“South Africa values the strong ties it has established with Nigeria and will continue to enhance these even further,” Jojozi noted.
The counsellor said the statements referred to the unfortunate death of Elizabeth Ndubuisi-Chukwu, Deputy Director-General of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria, in June.
She said that, the South African Police Service was still investigating the incident.
“We believe no one should abuse this unfortunate tragedy to generate negative sentiments about South Africa and we express our condolences to Mrs Ndubuisi-Chukwu’s family; friends and the people of Nigeria.”
She said the Minister of Police in South Africa, Bheki Cele, had addressed the Diplomatic Corps early in the year and said there was no targeting of any group of Africans in South Africa.
Jojozi said that the law enforcement agencies were making effort to fight crime and arrest all criminals.
She said; “It is worth mentioning that daily, Nigerian nationals travel to South Africa for multiplicity of reasons ranging from business, tourism and academic purposes.
“Similarly, South Africans have chosen Nigeria as preferred destination for investment and other activities of interest.
“Nigeria is home to approximately 120 South African companies, amongst which are MTN, Shoprite, Multichoice, South Africa Airways and Game – to mention but a few.
“All these companies have over the years contributed towards job creation and social responsibility programmes for Nigerian nationals, both young and old.
“We are very pleased that our strong relations were able to place South African business on firm footing in Nigeria, and pave way for investments by Nigerian business in South Africa.”
Jojozi expressed the hope that the High Commission in Nigeria would invite some stakeholders of the student organisations leading the calls for protests against South African businesses in Nigeria to South Africa.
The Chartered Institute of Bankers (CIBN) and the Association of Corporate Communication and Marketing Professionals in Banks (ACAMB) have enjoined banks to further deepen and prioritize financial inclusion, women’s empowerment and sustained growth through strategic mandates and frameworks, aimed at closing the financial gap and empowering more small, and medium enterprise (MSME) owners.
Both organisations made this call during a courtesy visit to the newly invested 24th President and Chairman of Council of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Dr. Dele Alabi, Ph.D, FCIB, as part of plans to congratulate him on his investiture as well as seek a stronger alliance between both bodies.
The visit followed Alabi’s investiture where he unveiled his “IMPACT” Vision, themed “Consolidating Our Local Impact, Enhancing Our Global Relevance.”
The vision rests on six pillars: Inclusion across geographic, gender, and generational lines; Membership growth and quality; Professionalism and ethics; Accountability; Competencies and skills development; Technology, automation, and innovation. Other areas of shared interest, include women empowerment, financial inclusion and literacy, as well as MSME clinics, all of which are top on his agenda.
Alabi explained that under him, the institute will be prioritising financial inclusion and women empowerment, because of its realisation that women are often the primary financial managers and caregivers in families. Access to savings, micro-credit, and insurance acts as a safety net during crisis and allows them to significantly improve living conditions.
He added that CIBN would be happy to drive joint knowledge sharing and exchange sessions with CBN and ACAMB across various platforms. “Educating the public through public awareness programmes, with ACAMB as the rallying point, is central to what we do,” he noted.
ACAMB President, Jide Sipe, who led the delegation, spoke in unison with the CIBN president, as he noted that, closing the inbalances in financial access help economies grow faster, reduces inequality, and encourages greater civic participation by all.
Lagos State has become the first sub-national government in Nigeria to establish a comprehensive Greenhouse Gas Registry, a move aimed at strengthening climate governance, improving emissions accountability and accelerating the state’s transition to a low-carbon economy.
The Lagos State Greenhouse Gas Registry (LGHGR) was unveiled at the Central Business District, Alausa, Ikeja, at a ceremony attended by Prof. Akin Abayomi, commissioner for Health, members of the State Executive Council, representatives of the Federal Ministry of Environment, development partners, TPHG Technologies, the diplomatic and business communities, academics, civil society organisations and the media.
Describing the initiative as a landmark achievement in the state’s environmental sustainability drive, Dr. Babatunde Ajayi, general manager of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), said the Registry marks a defining moment in Lagos’ climate action journey and reflects Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s commitment to building a resilient, climate-smart and environmentally sustainable economy.
According to Ajayi, the digital platform will enable the state to accurately measure, monitor, report and verify greenhouse gas emissions across key sectors, providing credible data to guide environmental policies and climate interventions.
He said the Registry would strengthen evidence-based decision-making, improve transparency and accountability, support national and international climate reporting obligations, unlock carbon market opportunities and boost investor confidence in Lagos’ environmental initiatives.
Ajayi also commended TPHG Technologies for providing the technical expertise that made the pioneering project possible.
Delivering the keynote address, Prof. Abayomi described the Registry as a major milestone that positions Lagos at the forefront of climate governance and emissions accountability in both Nigeria and Africa.
He noted that climate change has evolved into a significant public health and governance challenge, stressing that access to reliable emissions data would enable the state to formulate evidence-based policies, attract climate financing, strengthen resilience and accelerate its transition to a low-carbon economy.
Providing insights into the technical framework of the project, Dr. Mofoluso Fagbeja, lead consultant and chief executive officer, TPHG Technologies, explained that the Registry was developed from the greenhouse gas inventory jointly undertaken by LASEPA and TPHG Technologies in 2022, using 2019 as the baseline year for emissions assessment.
He said the platform is designed to close critical emissions data gaps, particularly within the industrial sector, while supporting effective climate policy implementation, emissions management and sustainable development.
Fagbeja also disclosed that the greenhouse gas inventory estimated that poor air quality contributes to about 35,000 premature deaths annually in Lagos, underscoring the urgent need for stronger emissions control measures and cleaner environmental practices.
In a goodwill message, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, minister of Environment, represented by Mrs. Adenaike Olunimpe Oludunni, federal controller of Environment in Lagos, commended Lagos State for pioneering the initiative, describing it as a significant contribution to Nigeria’s climate commitments.
He said the Registry aligns with the country’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement and supports the Federal Government’s Energy Transition Plan, while reaffirming the ministry’s commitment to deeper collaboration with Lagos State on climate governance and environmental sustainability.
A recently released Henley Passport Index 2026, showed that Nigerian citizens can travel to at least 20 destinations outside the African continent where entry is allowed either visa-free, with a visa on arrival (VOA) at no extra cost, or via an e-visa.
This expanded access opens doors for Nigerian travellers to experience countries in the Caribbean, Asia, and beyond with greater ease.
Below is a comprehensive guide to countries outside Africa which Nigerian passport holders can visit without a traditional visa.
Visa-Free Countries outside Africa for Nigerian Passport Holders:
Barbados
Cambodia – Visa on arrival
Comoros Islands – Visa on arrival
Cook Islands
Dominica
Fiji
Haiti
Iran – Visa on arrival
Kiribati
Lebanon
Maldives – Visa on arrival
Micronesia
Montserrat
Niue – Visa on arrival
Palau Islands – Visa on arrival
Samoa – Visa on arrival
St. Kitts and Nevis
Timor-Leste – Visa on arrival
Tuvalu
Vanuatuul
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