Members of the Association of University Students took to the streets in a charged demonstration, chanting “MTN Must Go! South Africa Must Go!” as they decried the persistent xenophobic attacks on Nigerians and other African nationals in South Africa, insisting that the continued operation of South African-owned MTN in Nigeria was untenable while Nigerians face violence and discrimination in South Africa.

The protesters argued that it was a glaring case of economic double standards and gross injustice, lamenting that while South African corporate giants like MTN continue to thrive and reap billions from the Nigerian market with unrestricted operations, Nigerian citizens living in South Africa are subjected to recurrent waves of brutal xenophobic violence, harassment and systemic discrimination, with their shops looted, their properties destroyed and their lives endangered, a painful imbalance they say Nigeria can no longer tolerate.

The aggrieved students called for decisive and immediate action from both the Nigerian and South African authorities to end the cycle of violence against African migrants. They urged the South African government to move beyond mere condemnations and enforce concrete security measures to protect foreign nationals, while challenging the Nigerian government to adopt a more assertive foreign policy stance that firmly defends the lives and dignity of its citizens in the diaspora.

As images and videos of the protest flooded social media, the demonstration has ignited a sharp divide in public opinion. Supporters hailed the students’ action as a legitimate and necessary form of economic pressure, arguing that hitting South Africa’s economic interests is the only language that will force Pretoria to act. Conversely, critics cautioned against such a move, warning that a boycott or shutdown of MTN — which employs tens of thousands of Nigerians directly and indirectly and serves over 80 million subscribers — would ultimately inflict more pain on Nigerian workers, vendors and customers than on the South African parent company.

Beyond the chants and placards, the protest has once again thrown the fragile state of Nigeria–South Africa relations into stark relief. It raises urgent and uncomfortable questions about the future of pan-African solidarity, bilateral trade, and the shared responsibility of both nations — as Africa’s two largest economies — to create a safe, just and mutually respectful environment where all African citizens can live, work and prosper without fear.