Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called for an end to violence and discrimination against migrants across Africa, stressing that migration is a historical reality and should never be criminalized.
Speaking at the Africa Forward Summit held in Nairobi on Tuesday, the Nigerian President addressed African leaders on the growing challenges surrounding migration, xenophobia, and regional cooperation.
President Tinubu described migration as “a fact of history of human civilizations across generations,” warning against the increasing hostility and violence directed at immigrants in some African countries.
“Migration is not a crime, and migrants should not be subjected to jungle justice in utter disregard of their basic rights to live as human beings, as well as the cherished African values of family, brotherhood, sanctity of life and solidarity,” he said.
The President noted that many destination countries are facing domestic political pressures, which have led to the politicization of migration issues.
“Too often, the result is the weaponization of migration — both by those who use fear of the outsider to fracture the very multilateralism we need. Some others hold migrants solely responsible for the socio-economic challenges they face for political and electoral advantages,” Tinubu stated.
He further emphasized that violence against immigrants poses a threat to African unity and solidarity, calling for responsible leadership at all levels of society and government.
“Addressing the violence against immigrants requires responsible leadership at all levels of our society and government. It should not be allowed to threaten African unity and solidarity,” he added.
Reaffirming Nigeria’s stance on migration governance, Tinubu stressed that no country can address migration challenges alone.
“Nigeria’s position remains unequivocal: no single nation — whether source, transit or destination — can manage migration in isolation. A challenge this complex demands structured, equitable and sustained cooperation between countries,” the President said.
He also underscored the importance of fairness, rule of law, and human dignity in migration policies across the continent.
“As essential pillars of good governance, migrants must be treated fairly in accordance with the rule of law,” he concluded.
