South Africa-Nigeria Relations: Competition or Cooperation in African Leadership?

This study examines the complex bilateral relationship between Nigeria and South Africa, two of Africa's largest economies and most prominent diplomatic actors, assessing whether their interaction is better characterised as strategic competition or cooperative co-leadership on the continent. The relationship has periodically been strained by xenophobic violence against Nigerian nationals in South Africa, trade disputes, and competing visions for African governance architecture. Drawing on hegemonic stability theory and the concept of co-leadership in regional international relations, this research traces key developments in Nigeria-South Africa relations from 2019 to 2024. The study employs a qualitative methodology, relying on analysis of bilateral state visits, joint commission communiques, African Union summit interactions, and media coverage from both countries. Interviews with academics at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) in Lagos provide additional primary insights. The research identifies three focal areas of interaction: trade and investment, African Union governance, and responses to security crises in Central and Southern Africa. It is anticipated that findings will reveal a relationship characterised by functional cooperation within multilateral forums and persistent rivalry over continental prestige and economic leadership. Recommendations address mechanisms for institutionalising a strategic partnership framework between the two states. Keywords: Nigeria-South Africa relations, African leadership, co-leadership, regional politics, bilateral diplomacy.