Africa’s Emerging Giants and the Drug Scourge: Exploring a Nigeria-South African Bilateral Partnership

South Africa has experienced several xenophobic or Afrophobic attacks against foreign nationals by some South Africans. However, in 2017 the focus shifted to Nigerian nationals who were blamed for drug abuse and trafficking among other issues in South Africa. These attacks strained diplomatic relations, and business between Nigeria and South Africa. A significant number of studies suggest that South Africa and Nigeria are playing a crucial role in drug trafficking. For example, According to a 2017 publication by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Nigeria and South Africa, respectively, are the top two of the highest cocaine transit points, and this has apparent negative effect on both countries and their relationship as well as the rest of the continent. This chapter explores the relationship of these two African giants, their role and potential role in the fight against drug trafficking. While instances of inter-country intelligence and information sharing have existed, this chapter argues for a more structured and organized level of engagement or collaboration between both countries to ensure better success. Both South Africa and Nigeria can play a more strategic role in the fight against drug trafficking through the development of stricter regulations, inter-country policy formulation and implementation, and the eventual creation of a binational task force that can tackle drug trafficking. This will ultimately strengthen their economic and political relationship and their leadership role on the continent.