Senate President Godswill Akpabio has opposed calls for Nigeria to withdraw the operating licences of South African companies, warning that such a move could undermine investor confidence and damage the country’s reputation as a business destination.
Speaking during a Senate debate on recent attacks against Nigerians in South Africa, Akpabio said lawmakers should focus on condemning the violence and urging the Federal Government to take decisive action.
He stressed that Nigeria must respond with restraint while safeguarding its economic interests.
"We should rather, as a Senate, condemn what we are seeing happen to Nigerians in South Africa and urge the federal government to take serious steps and revert to us as soon as practicable," he told colleagues.
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Akpabio also cautioned against reprisal actions targeting foreign nationals in Nigeria.
"We have a lot of South Africans living in Nigeria, and if we start dragging them and killing them, we are returning to the Stone Age," he said.
His opposition came after some senators proposed revoking the licences of South African-owned businesses in response to the reported attacks.
The Senate ultimately rejected proposals for economic retaliation and instead backed a diplomatic approach.
Akpabio argued that diplomacy and engagement remained the most effective way to secure justice for Nigerians abroad while preserving stability for investors at home.
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