President Bola Tinubu has called for a stronger Nigeria-South Africa strategic partnership to set a model for leadership, economic integration, and shared prosperity across Africa. Speaking at the 11th session of the Nigeria-South Africa Bi-National Commission (BNC) in Cape Town on Tuesday, Tinubu, co-chairing the session with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, emphasized the importance of overcoming existing challenges to reshape Africa’s global image.

Tinubu urged the two largest African economies to redefine the continent’s narrative, often marred by poverty and conflict, and reiterated Nigeria’s aspiration to join the G20. He also called on South Africa to advocate for Africa during its G20 presidency.

“We must leverage the potential of this partnership to strengthen relationships across economic, political, and social dimensions,” Tinubu said, stressing that success should be measured by the implementation of agreements, not just their signing.

Recognizing Africa’s youth as its greatest asset, Tinubu called for stronger collaboration to harness their potential and promote development in both countries. He also addressed the importance of economic ties, highlighting the presence of South African companies in Nigeria and Nigerian firms in South Africa.

Tinubu proposed joint action on illegal mining, describing it as a significant threat to Africa’s resources and governance, and emphasized the need for both countries to lead global efforts against it. Reflecting on Nigeria’s support for South Africa during apartheid, he reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to solidarity in pursuit of democratic governance and shared aspirations.

His remarks laid out a vision for a united Africa driving political and economic progress on the global stage.