Obi Concludes South Africa Visit With Talks on Migration and Economic Reform
Obi Concludes South Africa Visit With Talks on Migration and Economic Reform
Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has concluded a series of diplomatic and economic engagements in South Africa.
Obi participated in a pan-African governance forum in Cape Town, where discussions included rising concerns over the treatment of Nigerians living in South Africa, particularly issues linked to immigration procedures and reports of xenophobic attacks.
As part of the visit, he held closed-door meetings with South African cabinet ministers, including Leon Schreiber, Velenkosini Hlabisa, and Gayton McKenzie.
The talks, centred on immigration management frameworks and concerns about the safety and welfare of Nigerian nationals in the country.
Following the meetings, Obi called for calm and adherence to legal and institutional processes in addressing tensions between host communities and foreign nationals.
“Both leaders and citizens need to exhibit responsible leadership, show compassion, and exercise restraint,” he said, urging stronger cooperation between institutions in both countries.
Obi also spoke at the Spier Dialogue event on African growth, where he highlighted structural economic challenges facing the continent despite its natural and demographic advantages.
He pointed to Africa’s mineral resources, large areas of uncultivated arable land, and youthful population as key assets, but said these have not translated into broad-based development due to governance and policy constraints.
He argued for increased investment in education, healthcare, and small-scale enterprise development, saying current policy priorities in many countries remain skewed toward political competition rather than productivity.
On the sidelines of the engagements, Obi also responded to questions about his political alignment ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections and his relationship with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
He dismissed speculation of a rift, describing Atiku as a long-standing ally and elder in politics, while insisting that differences in political strategy should not be interpreted as personal conflict.
The visit is being viewed as part of Obi’s continued engagement on regional governance and economic issues ahead of Nigeria’s next electoral cycle.
