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Nigeria-South Africa Relations and Regional Hegemonic Competence pp 129–144Cite as

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

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Abstract

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.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The Nigerian group Boko Haram, for instance, have used funds from drug trafficking to finance its activities; it assists drug traffickers to smuggle heroin and cocaine across West Africa; and significant quantities of psychotropic substances were recovered from the terrorist group (UNODC 2017).

  2. 2.

    Diverse drugs are used to recruit, retain and exploit human trafficking victims for all forms of sexual exploitation, and are used to compel individuals to perform various sexual acts and even engage in pornography (Shelley 2012).

  3. 3.

    As regional hegemons, this paper borrows from Vanheukelom and Bertelsmann-Scott (2016:1), who define it as a “powerful and resourceful neighbour that stands out in comparison to its neighbour”. They also refer to it as a “dominant economic and political power in the region that influences regional processes in substantial ways” (Vanheukelom and Bertelsmann-Scott 2016: v).

  4. 4.

    For example, Kadwa (2013) reported that collaboration and information sharing between SAPS and NDLEA discovered 163 kg cocaine. In June 2006, 14 tonnes of cocaine and white cement were seized in Nigeria’s Lagos port in a container from Peru; this was successfully seized due to collaboration between law enforcement authorities in Nigeria, South Africa, United Kingdom, and the United States (INCB 2006).

  5. 5.

    Nigerian Police Force, Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Immigration Service (Immigration H/QTRS), Nigeria Security & Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa

    Dorcas Ettang & Nthatuwa Leeke

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  1. Dorcas Ettang
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  2. Nthatuwa Leeke
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Correspondence to Dorcas Ettang .

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  1. Institute for Pan-African Thought and Conversation, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa

    Oluwaseun Tella

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Ettang, D., Leeke, N. (2019). Africa’s Emerging Giants and the Drug Scourge: Exploring a Nigeria-South African Bilateral Partnership. In: Tella, O. (eds) Nigeria-South Africa Relations and Regional Hegemonic Competence . Advances in African Economic, Social and Political Development. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-00081-3_7

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