Nigeria, South Africa Must Prioritize Industrialization, Xenophobia Is Anti African Interests – Malema

Julius Malema, President of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), has advocated for industrialization between Nigeria and South Africa, while denouncing xenophobia in the latter country.

Malema spoke as the keynote speaker at the 2025 Annual Conference of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), urging Africans not to allow disunity while adding that the continent is one.

He decried what he referred to as the entrapment of both Nigeria and South Africa in colonial economic arrangements where raw materials are exported cheaply to Europe, America and Asia, only to be sold back to Africans at “crazy prices” as finished goods.

“The path forward is clear: Nigeria and South Africa must industrialise together, build factories together and process our resources on African soil.

“Imagine a joint programme where South African mining expertise is combined with Nigerian oil wealth to create African-owned energy and resource conglomerates.

“Imagine Nigeria feeding the continent while South African technology drives logistics and machinery. That is the Africa we must build,” he said.

“Let me be unequivocal: xenophobia is anti-African unity. We must educate our people that unity, not division, is the solution to the African crisis.

“A Nigerian in Johannesburg or a Ghanaian in Cape Town is not a foreigner but an African contributing to Africa’s progress. In the same way, South African entrepreneurs must be welcomed in Lagos as partners in a shared future,” Malema added.