President Bola Tinubu on Monday declined to receive a special delegation from South African President, Cyril Ramaphosa, over the ongoing xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa, directing the visiting team to instead meet with the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye.
Multiple credible Presidency sources with knowledge of the development confirmed to PUNCH Online that the delegation, led by South Africa’s Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ronald Lamola, had sought an audience with the President after arriving in Abuja on Friday.
Instead, Tinubu instructed them to engage with Enikanolaiye, who was appointed Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in June 2026 after Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu was elevated to the substantive ministerial position following the exit of Yusuf Tuggar.
The development comes amid a diplomatic row between both countries over renewed xenophobic attacks targeting Nigerians and other African nationals in South Africa, which forced the evacuation of nearly 600 Nigerians back home.
One Presidency source said, “They actually came here on Friday wanting to see the President. But there was no prior notice.
“And we said we can’t just allow you to see the President without first asking him if he is available. So we asked, and the President said they could come on Monday.
“But when Monday came, he simply said they should go and meet the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Enikanolaiye, and whatever they discuss, the Minister would come and brief him.”
