Nigeria contributed an estimated $61 billion to South Africa's anti-apartheid struggle, a fact confirmed by multiple sources including the South African Institute of International Affairs (SAIIA) and former leaders. This cumulative support spanned financial, economic, and diplomatic assistance over several decades, playing a crucial role in ending apartheid.
Origin of the $61 Billion Claim
An X user, @MrJamesKe, claimed on June 23, 2026, that Nigeria contributed $61 billion to South Africa's anti-apartheid effort. This statement followed renewed xenophobic attacks against Nigerians and other Africans in South Africa. Legit.ng reports that the anti-apartheid struggle was a movement against institutionalized racial segregation and white minority rule in South Africa.
Verification by Fact-Checking Platform
According to Dubawa, a fact-checking platform, the SAIIA cited the $61 billion estimate in its publication titled Giants of Africa Limp Along – South Africa and Nigeria. The publication noted that Nigeria was one of the leading African countries in the anti-apartheid struggle. It highlighted financial contributions from ordinary Nigerians, support for Frontline States, and Nigeria's role in establishing the United Nations Special Committee against Apartheid. The SAIIA estimated that Nigeria had contributed about $61 billion to the anti-apartheid effort by the end of apartheid in 1994.
Nelson Mandela's Acknowledgment
Former South African President Nelson Mandela thanked the Nigerian government and its people for their financial and material support. In a video of Mandela's 1990 visit to Nigeria, published on the Lagos State Government's official YouTube channel, Mandela said Nigeria “have been among the most generous donors” to the anti-apartheid movement. He also acknowledged Nigeria's scholarships for South African students and the deployment of teachers, doctors, and architects.
Confirmation by Former Nigerian President
In 2012, former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo confirmed that Nigerian civil servants contributed part of their salaries to the South Africa Relief Fund. This further substantiates the claim of significant financial support.
Recent Context: Xenophobic Attacks and Evacuation
The federal government announced it would resume the evacuation of Nigerians from South Africa, with dozens of citizens expected to arrive in Lagos soon. This follows renewed anti-immigrant tensions in the country. The evacuation exercise was announced in an official statement issued on Monday, June 29, 2026, by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa cautioned that anti-migrant groups have no full authority to order undocumented foreigners to leave the country. Xenophobic attacks in South Africa have damaged the country's international reputation and relations, according to many observers in Nigeria.
