Zuma to kiss and make up in Nigeria

THE long-running cold war between South Africa and Nigeria is likely to end this week as President Jacob Zuma becomes the first head of state to officially visit the West African nation since Muhammadu Buhari was elected president late last year.

Zuma will be in Nigeria on Tuesday and Wednesday on a state visit during which he is expected to iron out differences with the Nigerian government on issues relating to the treatment of South African companies, differing positions on a number of international issues, and complaints by Nigerian firms about a lack of investment opportunities.

Local companies have had major problems in Nigeria, with MTN being fined billions for contravening telecommunications regulations.

Zuma’s visit is an attempt by the two countries to rebuild relations that had soured, especially during the tenure of Goodluck Jonathan, Buhari’s predecessor.

At the centre of the tension was the competition for a possible single permanent seat to be given to Africa once the UN Security Council was reformed. Over the years, the tension escalated into various diplomatic rows over visa regulations, xenophobic attacks, conflict resolution on the continent, and the conduct of South African companies in Nigeria.

Lulu Mnguni, South Africa’s high commissioner to Nigeria, said: “I can say that now we are actually projecting a future of good relations because it is something which we are consciously going to work on both through business and politics.”

He was scheduled to meet with Nigeria’s minister of trade and investment, Okechukwu Enelamah, ahead of Tuesday’s meeting to find solutions on South African companies trading there.

Due to the tensions, Jonathan’s government last year turned down Zuma’s proposal for an AU rapid response unit to help combat terrorist group Boko Haram. Jonathan instead hired apartheid-era soldiers to train the Nigerian Defence Force.

Mnguni said Zuma’s visit would unlock many agreements signed over the years. “In 2013 we signed about nine agreements with Nigeria and I think those will be revisited.”