“Check First”: Shoprite Under Fire in Nigeria As Protesters Target Stores Thinking They Belong to SA

• Videos and images circulating on social media show Shoprite stores in Nigeria being targeted by protesters angry about the treatment of Nigerians in SA
• Although it is very unclear whether the footage is recent or older as the country did go through similar issues years before
• The irony is that several Shoprite stores in Nigeria are no longer South African-owned, having been sold to a local Nigerian company called Ketron Investment Limited

A TikTok post shared by @porungar on 26 May 2026 showed what appeared to be a Shoprite store in Nigeria with rubbish piled outside and signs of looting. It is unclear whether the photo is recent or from an earlier incident, but it surfaced at a time when tensions between Nigeria and South Africa are running high. The post was shared with the message:

"Nigerians burn their own shops thinking they belong to South Africa."

According to the message shared, protesters in Lagos targeted stores they believed were South African-owned. This included Shoprite, MTN and MultiChoice outlets. For the protestors, it was a way of responding to reports of xenophobic attacks and harassment of Nigerians in South Africa.

Read also

Somizi compares South Africans and foreigners and gets dragged online

The problem, however, is that many of these businesses are no longer South African-owned at all. Shoprite Nigeria was sold to local company Ketron Investment Limited in 2021. So, the protesters were damaging businesses owned by fellow Nigerians.

What is actually happening between SA and Nigeria?

The broader context matters here. South Africa has been experiencing a wave of anti-immigration protests in recent weeks, with groups demanding that undocumented migrants leave the country by 30 June 2026.

Several African nations have responded strongly. Nigeria formally summoned South Africa's envoy and called for investigations into the deaths of Nigerian nationals.

Ghana began flying its citizens home, with nearly 300 Ghanaian nationals landing in Accra on 27 May 2026 through a voluntary repatriation process. The African Union and the United Nations have both raised concerns about the situation.

South African authorities have condemned violence against foreign nationals and committed to taking action, but the diplomatic fallout across the countries is still growing.

View the TikTok post here.

SA unbothered in the comments

While the post on TikToker @porungar's page got over 2,000 comments, South Africans appeared completely uninterested in the situation:

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“Things are going crazy”: Kraaifontein looting aftermath ignites debate in SA

@musa950831 wrote:

"I have an exam tomorrow. Wish me luck."

@kwazijosc26 said:

"I'm infected by Covid, can you wish me a speedy recovery 😢"

@peecee34 shared:

"I'm graduating on Tuesday 🥰"

@masotsatsiabokone3238a wrote:

"I'm getting married this Saturday."

@nomthandimilly001 posted:

"Guys I am selling perfumes, please support."

@makhosimbangata asked

"Can anyone take me out for coffee 🥰"

@karabolets1 said:

"I'm single, ready to mingle."

More on SA's xenophobia tensions

• Briefly News recently reported on a Ghanaian man who decided not to wait for his government's repatriation flight and vlogged his departure from South Africa.
• EFF leader Julius Malema had very strong words about the anti-immigration marches happening across South Africa.
• Former president Thabo Mbeki found himself on the receiving end of serious backlash after commenting on the anti-immigration marches.

Source: Briefly News