South African President, Jacob Zuma during the week paid a two-day working visit to Nigeria in a bid to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries. JONATHAN NDA-ISAIAH in this report chronicles the South African President’s visit.
There is a general viewpoint that Nigeria and South Africa are the biggest economies in Africa, in other words the Super powers of the African continent. However in recent times the relationship between the two countries has not been ideal. Experts posit that by virtue of being the superpowers in the African continent, Nigeria and South Africa should be working hand in hand to move the continent forward.
It will be recalled that Nigeria has being playing the big brother role in Africa and the relationship between Nigeria and some of these countries cannot be termed symbiotic because in most cases, Nigeria does not benefit anything economically from most of those countries. Observers pointed out that the United States of America will not send its troops to any country in the world without first thinking about what it will get in return from the country.
During the Liberian war in the 90s, the Nigerian Government singlehandedly through ECOMOG restored peace in Liberia, however, there are no significant Nigerian investments or business in Liberia, instead Lebanese businesses have taken over Liberia. Experts say the time has come for Nigeria to expand its tentacles in the area of business in most counties in Africa.
Nigeria was also at the forefront for the end of the Apatheid regime in South Africa and fought for the release of Nelson Mandela from Prison. But to the surprise of many, during the burial of Mandela, the Nigerian leader was not even allowed to speak.
During the apartheid era in South Africa, Nigeria was one of the foremost supporters of Black South African liberation movements, including the African National Congress; the Nigerian government issued more than 300 passports to South Africans seeking to travel abroad.
According to Wikipedia, following the end of apartheid in 1994, South African businesses sought for professionals to immigrate and a large number of Nigerians did so. It is estimated that there were 24,000 Nigerians living in South Africa in 2011.
Political watchers pointed out that increasing competition between the two countries for positions at multilateral organisations is also thought to have worsened relations.
During the heat of the annulment of the June 12, 1993 elections, then South African leader, Mandela had been seeking to help resolve the political crisis in Nigeria following the arrest and sentencing for execution, 40 political opponents including former head of state Olusegun Obasanjo. Mandela sent Archbishop Desmond Tutu and then deputy president, Thabo Mbeki on successive missions to Nigeria to lobby for the release of Obasanjo, Abiola and nine others.
Relationship between the countries nose-dived when, the then Nigeria head of state, Gen Sani Abacha, on November 1995 moved ahead with the execution of the nine Ogoni leaders including Ken Saro-Wiwa. After which South African president Mandela then publicly criticised General Abacha for human rights abuses and personally pushed for a two-year suspension of Nigeria’s membership in the Commonwealth of Nations.
Since then, the relationship between the two countries can best be described as a Tom and Jerry relationship. It’s no secret that the average South African views the Nigerian man with suspicion and envy. The relationship between the two countries has been frosty of late due to a number of factors.
Since the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari took over in May 29 last year, the president has assumed the role of an international business man, marketing Nigeria to investors. In most of his foreign trips, he has urged most of the countries to invest in Nigeria.
During his recent trip to Qatar, President Buhari assured the business community in Qatar that Nigeria would remove any impediment that can hinder investment in the country.
According to him nobody invests without first knowing how secure a country is. That is why Nigeria has placed high premium on securing the country, because you cannot effectively manage a country you have not secured.
His words: “My party campaigned on three main planks: security, employment generation and anti-corruption.”
“We campaigned on zero corruption, promising that we would run an accountable government and we are keeping our promises.”
Referring to the crash in the international crude oil prices and its effect on the Nigerian economy, President Buhari informed his hosts that Nigeria is blessed with vast arable land for agriculture, and rich deposit of solid minerals, which the businessmen can invest in, and reap rich returns in a short while.
“Agriculture and solid minerals will mobilise youths for gainful employment. We have the capacity not to need to import food at all.”
“But we need to also tackle infrastructure deficit in power, transportation, rail, road, and in other areas. We will put together an articulated plan, which would be discussed with you shortly, so that you can make investment decisions.”
“All impediments like delayed processing of permits, multiple taxation, and corrupt practices, would be removed,’’ the president said.
The South African president’s visit is coming at a time when the country is passing through economic challenges like Nigeria as both countries have realised the need to close ranks and improve bilateral relationship.
Most Nigerians have in recent times queried the relationship between the two countries. While South Africa has thriving business like Multi choice, Shoprite and MTN in Nigeria, the same cannot be said for Nigerian business in South Africa. The visit of the South African leader according to some analysts will resolve these issues
MTN Fiasco
It will be recalled that the Federal Government fined MTN N1.04 trillion for failing to deactivate 5.1 million unregistered SIM cards and later reduced the amount to N780 billion after the first round of negotiations.
MTN had earlier filed a suit as the December 31, 2015 deadline drew near, and later requested an out-of-court settlement.
However, MTN on Wednesday, February 24, withdrew its suit from the federal high court in Lagos against the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and paid N50 billion towards an amicable resolution.
Some analysts have said one of the reasons for Zuma’s visit to Nigeria was because of the MTN fine. Responding to questions from State House correspondents, President Buhari noted that the concern of the government was on breach of security caused by the refusal of MTN to deactivate the unregistered lines rather than the fine imposed.
Buhari, making his first official statement since the fine was imposed on MTN, blamed the telecommunications company for the death of some victims of the Boko Haram war on the refusal of MTN to deactivate some unregistered Sims.
According to him, the unregistered GSM lines are being used by terrorists and between 2009 and today at least 10,000 Nigerians were killed by boko haram.
He said, “The concern of the federal government was basically on the security and not the fine imposed on MTN. You know how the unregistered Sims are being used by terrorists and between 2009 and today at least 10,000 Nigerians were killed by boko haram, at least 10,000.”
“That was why the NCC asked MTN, Glo and the rest of them to register GSM subscribers. Unfortunately, MTN was very slow and contributed to the casualties. And NCC looked at its regulations and imposed the fine.”
“Unfortunately for MTN, they went to court and once you go to court, you virtually disarm the government because if the federal government refuses to listen to the judiciary, it’s going against its own constitution, therefore the government has to wait.”
“I think MTN has seen that and decided to withdraw the case and go back to negotiate with government agencies on what they consider a very steep fine to be reduced and maybe given time to pay gradually.”
Improved Trade Relations
There have been complains from Nigerians on the imbalance of trade between Nigeria and South Africa. South African president, Jacob Zuma also revealed that there are over 120 South African business in Nigeria.
According to him, prior to 1999, there were only four South African companies in Nigeria. Since 1999, the situation has changed dramatically adding that Nigeria is South Africa’s key trading partner on the continent.
He said, “We welcome the increased economic cooperation and trade relations between our two countries over the past decade. Nigeria is South Africa’s key trading partner on the continent.
Prior to 1999, there were only four South African companies in Nigeria. Since 1999, the situation has changed dramatically.
Over 120 companies are currently doing business in Nigeria, in various sectors, mainly telecommunications, banking, retail, property, entertainment and hospitality. We welcome this significant development.”
“We also see great potential in boosting tourism between the two countries. According to Statistics South Africa, an average of 4000 Nigerians travelled to South Africa on a monthly basis in 2015.”
“In order to promote South Africa as a tourist destination in both the vast Nigerian market and in the West African region as a whole, a Tourism Office was opened in Lagos in January 2014 by Ministers of Tourism of both countries.”
“We also encourage South Africans to tour Nigeria so that we can improve understanding and the appreciation of one another’s culture and way of life.”
On economic relationship between Nigeria and South Africa, President Buhari said, “I hope you will recall that even before the elections our party, the APC realised the state we are in and we articulated three areas, security, economy and corruption and here we identified the role we can improve rapidly on our relationship with South Africa.”
“In terms of the economy, we identified agriculture and solid minerals to come to fore quickly so that we can get everybody who is unemployed, employed. South Africa is far ahead of us in agriculture and solid minerals. So in diversifying the economy, I think that there is a great room for improvement which is for the better.”
Xenophobic Attacks
Nigerians were enraged when pictures of Nigerians being killed or maimed by South Africans surfaced in the social media. Nigerians threatened to retaliate and pick on South African business in Nigeria if the attacks are not stopped .The Nigerian Consul-General in South Africa, Uche Ajulu-Okeke had revealed that Nigerians lost more than 1.2 million Rand (N21 million) in the xenophobic attacks.
On Xenophobia attacks in South Africa, the visiting South African president said it is unfortunate because all Africans are the same, but colonialists through borders have made them think that they are different but we are the same Africans and that has been our view.
“In addressing the issue of Xenophobia. We would want our people all over Africa to realise that we are the same and have the same interests. As regards things that could have been lost during the period he said the relevant departments are handling them.”
Upgrading economic trades between the two countries, Zuma said, “We have a commitment to increase our economic activities. We discussed across all areas of the economy to grow the economy faster. Part of the reason we agreed to elevate the binational commission is to monitor on a yearly basis how the economy is doing between the two countries.
Visa Restrictions
Most Nigerians have complained of Visa restrictions on Nigerians by the South African embassy.
It will be recalled Nigerians living in South Africa have urged the Federal Government to prevail on South African government to relax the permit/visa restrictions for Nigerians as being done for citizens of other countries.
The President of Nigeria Union in South Africa (NUSA), Mr Ikechukwu Anyene, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja recently.
Anyene urged President Muhammad Buhari to use the occasion of President Jacob Zuma’s two-day visit to Nigeria to address their concerns. He said that law-abiding Nigerians in South Africa were facing difficult situations on a daily basis. He said that immigration laws in South Africa were recently reviewed and had practically rendered a lot of foreign nationals, including Nigerians as illegal immigrants.
With signing of over 30 Memoranda of Understanding between the two countries during Zuma’s visit, Nigerians are hoping that the visa restrictions to South Africa will be relaxed.
Agricultural Collaboration Amidst Drought In South Africa
Presently, South Africa is experiencing drought in agricultural products because of famine in the country. President Buhari has made a promise of diversifying the country’s economy. He listed agriculture as one of his administration priorities. In the era where the price of crude oil is in free fall, diversifying into agriculture is coming at the right time. Nigeria and South Africa can collaborate on agriculture as we can become the major suppliers of agricultural products to South Africa thereby earning forex from importation.
Elevation Of The Bi National Commission To The Level Of Heads Of States.
During his visit to Nigeria, Zuma disclosed that the two countries have decided to elevate the Bi-National Commission (BNC) to the level of Heads of State as previously it was at the vice president and ministers’ level.
Zuma noted the ever growing cooperation in many sectors including trade and investment; defence and security; immigration matters; energy; mineral resources, to mention but a few.
He also recognised the important role played by the South Africa-Nigeria Binational Commission since its inception in 1999.
“As we forge a strategic partnership between the two sister nations, we have decided to elevate the Bi-National Commission (BNC) to the level of Heads of State.”
He also disclosed that Nigeria and South Africa have signed over 30 bilateral agreements and memoranda of understanding.
According to him, these agreements cover a wide range of cooperation areas including trade and industry, transport, energy, defence and security and immigration among others.
“We have directed the relevant ministers to move with speed in implementing all signed agreements.”
“We have also directed our ministers to identify joint projects in the key high impact strategic development areas, which will have socio-economic benefits such as employment creation to our peoples.”
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