South Africa’s Consul-General in Nigeria, Prof. Bobby Moroe, says demand from Nigerians to visit his country has surged sharply in recent months, even as reports of xenophobic violence continue to strain relations between the two nations.
Speaking in an interview on Nigeria Info FM, Moroe pushed back against the notion that safety concerns have deterred Nigerian travelers, pointing instead to a near-doubling of visa applications as evidence that South Africa remains an attractive destination. His comments come at a sensitive moment, with Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and parts of the Western Cape having seen recurring pockets of violence targeting Nigerians and other African migrants in recent months, attacks often rooted in claims about job competition and crime that have resulted in looted shops, assaults, and forced displacement of foreign residents. The pattern has drawn sharp condemnation across Nigeria and the wider continent, and prompted the Nigerian government to facilitate the repatriation of more than 1,400 citizens who were either stranded or feared for their safety.
Despite that backdrop, Moroe maintained that the surge in visa applications tells its own story about ongoing confidence in South Africa as a destination. “I just want to give reassurance that South Africa is open for business, South Africa is open for tourism, and South Africa is open for any other form of visit. And it is also untrue to suggest that South African missions in Nigeria do not offer visas to Nigerians anymore,” he said, directly addressing online claims that South African missions had stopped processing Nigerian visa applications altogether. “I can assure you and the listeners, that it is safe to travel to South Africa. I indicated during the beginning of the show that the number of visa applications have almost doubled.”
Rather than dismissing safety concerns entirely, Moroe framed responsible travel as a shared responsibility between the traveler and the host country. He urged prospective visitors to secure proper visa documentation before departure and to follow South African immigration law once there. “It is everybody’s responsibility to ensure that before you travel, you ensure that you have your visa, you comply with the immigration laws of the country, you become a good ambassador of your country,” he said.
Beyond documentation, Moroe encouraged Nigerians to take practical precautions once in the country, including understanding their legal rights, familiarizing themselves with South African law, and knowing the location of nearby law enforcement in case of an emergency. “When you get to South Africa, you know and understand your rights, but you must also familiarise yourself with the laws of the country. You choose places that you want to visit… and ensure that you also are familiar with the location of law enforcement agencies, just in case something happens,” he added.
Looking beyond the current tensions, Moroe expressed confidence that bilateral exchange between the two countries would keep growing, emphasizing that South Africa continues to place real value on its relationship with Nigeria.
