Former Aviation Minister Femi Fani-Kayode has confirmed his redeployment as Nigeria’s Ambassador-Designate to South Africa, following renewed xenophobic attacks against Nigerians living in the country and rising diplomatic tensions between both nations.
Fani-Kayode disclosed the development in a statement posted on his official X account on Wednesday, explaining that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved his transfer from Germany to South Africa after he personally requested a change in posting.
According to the former minister, he was initially assigned to Germany but later appealed to the Federal Government for redeployment, citing personal reasons and his long-standing interest in South Africa.
“I made a formal representation to the then Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, that I was not comfortable with Germany for a number of personal reasons and given the fact that I had lived in Europe most of my life I would prefer to go to South Africa which is a country that I had never been to and for which I have so much interest,” he said.
Reasons For Redeployment
Fani-Kayode explained that he viewed South Africa as strategically important to Nigeria’s broader African foreign policy objectives due to the country’s economic influence and political relevance on the continent. He added that his pan-African outlook and ideological convictions also influenced the decision to seek redeployment.
“I therefore made an application for a redeployment to South Africa two days after the initial announcement was made, and I am pleased to say that after the then Foreign Minister heard my reasons, he considered them favourably after which he conveyed the request to Mr. President, who graciously approved it,” he stated.
The Ambassador-Designate also pushed back strongly against reports alleging that Germany rejected his nomination as Nigeria’s envoy. He described the reports as false, insulting, and damaging to his reputation, adding that his legal team had been instructed to initiate defamation proceedings against those responsible for circulating the claims.
South African Xenophobia
His redeployment comes at a particularly sensitive period in relations between Nigeria and South Africa, following renewed attacks and anti-immigrant rhetoric targeting Nigerians and other African migrants in parts of South Africa.
Disturbing videos circulating on social media in recent weeks have shown groups of South Africans demanding that foreigners, particularly Nigerians, leave the country, reigniting concerns over xenophobic violence that has strained bilateral relations for years.
The Nigerian government has since intensified diplomatic engagements with South African authorities over the safety of Nigerians residing in the country. Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, recently held discussions with her South African counterpart, Ronald Lamola, amid growing calls for the possible evacuation of Nigerians willing to return home.
