A fresh wave of tension may be building between Nigeria and South Africa as the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has threatened a nationwide protest targeting major South African-owned companies operating in Nigeria over what it described as the persistent mistreatment of Nigerians living in the Southern African nation.
The association said it is mobilising thousands of students across the country for what it described as mass action against leading South African businesses, including telecommunications giant MTN, pay-TV provider MultiChoice and Stanbic IBTC Bank.
The planned protest, according to NANS, is intended to send a strong message that Nigerians can no longer remain silent while their compatriots allegedly face repeated attacks, discrimination and hostility in South Africa.
Speaking on the planned nationwide action, the NANS President said the association would use peaceful protests to demand justice and greater protection for Nigerians living, studying and conducting business in South Africa.
“We are going to shut down MTN and MultiChoice. We will force Nigerians to close their accounts with Stanbic IBTC Bank,” the NANS President said.
He described the planned action as a patriotic response to what he called years of frustration over the treatment of Nigerians abroad, insisting that Nigerian students would no longer watch in silence while fellow citizens allegedly suffer.
According to him, the demonstration is expected to attract participation from students in universities, polytechnics and colleges of education across the country, making it one of the largest student-led campaigns against foreign-owned businesses in recent years.
The NANS President called on Nigerians to support the movement, saying the campaign is about defending the dignity, safety and rights of every Nigerian regardless of where they live.
“This action is to draw global attention to the concerns of Nigerians and ensure our people are treated with dignity and respect wherever they are,” he said.
Although the association has not announced a date for the protest, it disclosed that consultations and mobilisation are already underway, with further details expected in the coming days.
The development has sparked fresh debate over Nigeria-South Africa relations, particularly the recurring reports of attacks on Nigerians and diplomatic efforts aimed at strengthening ties between Africa’s two largest economies.
As of the time of filing this report, MTN Nigeria, MultiChoice Nigeria and Stanbic IBTC Bank had not reacted to the planned protests, while there was no official response from South African authorities.
- Media Report