“What Do They Invest In?”: Nigerian Businessman Receive Backlash After Urging Citizens to Boycott SA

• Air Peace CEO Allen Onyema reportedly called for a full economic boycott of South Africa during an ARISE News interview on Monday, 22 June 2026
• Onyema accused South African authorities of standing by while Nigerian nationals were dragged from their homes and harassed during xenophobic attacks
• He rejected violence as a response, saying Nigerians should withdraw financial support instead of attacking South African businesses or people

Nigerian billionaire and Air Peace CEO Allen Onyema has reportedly called on Nigerians to stop investing in South Africa. He made the demand during an exclusive interview on ARISE News on Monday, 22 June 2026, responding to ongoing “xenophobic attacks” on Nigerian nationals in the country.

Onyema backed calls for retaliation but was clear it must stay non-violent. He said pulling money out of South Africa would send a far stronger message than anything happening on the streets.

The wallet is the weapon

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The airline boss slammed South African authorities for failing to protect foreign nationals during attacks. He questioned how a country with a full police force and military could repeatedly allow mobs to target immigrants in their own homes. He described scenes of people being pulled from houses and demanded to show papers as unacceptable.

Onyema allegedly said Nigerians living in South Africa were not a burden on the country. He argued they arrived with their own money, opened businesses and created employment without waiting for the government to help them.

He said he supported former senator Adams Oshiomhole’s call for retaliation but rejected anything that could turn violent. Onyema was also firm that South African companies operating in Nigeria should not be shut down. He pointed out that Nigerians hold shares in businesses like MTN, and closing them would only hurt fellow Nigerians.

Reactions online were mixed. Some people questioned whether the investments Onyema referred to were legitimate businesses at all. Others agreed with him fully, saying Nigerian billionaires pulling out together would force South Africa to take notice. A number of commenters were more cynical, with some asking whether any country in the world actually welcomed Nigerians.

See the report on the Facebook post below:

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SAPS intervenes to prevent stampede among desperate Malawian nationals at Durban repatriation site

More about anti-illegal immigration in SA

• The South African Police Service (SAPS) in KwaZulu-Natal have denied that anti-illegal immigration protests in the province spiralled into violence.
• The international transit corridor via Zimbabwe and Mozambique is being utilized to return displaced individuals to Malawi.
• KZN Premier Thami Ntuli met civil society leaders and law enforcement in Durban over ongoing protests linked to immigration tensions.

Source: Briefly News