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A diplomatic dispute has escalated between the South African Presidency and the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria following a public disagreement over the omission of High Commissioner Femi Fani-Kayode’s remarks from a live broadcast during a formal credential presentation ceremony.
Following the envoy's complaint, the South African Presidency published a separate recording of his speech on its official YouTube channel. Fani-Kayode subsequently stated that he raised the issue directly with Ramaphosa during a post-ceremony photograph session, claiming the South African leader summoned broadcast officials to rectify the omission.
Responding publicly on the social media platform X, Ramaphosa’s spokesperson, Vincent Magwenya, refuted the assertion that the President had intervened in the broadcast, describing the Nigerian envoy's public approach as inappropriate and urging him to engage constructively with South African institutions.
"Your Excellency, I deeply regret that I have to address you through a public platform. However, now that you have falsely referenced the President on a matter he has no involvement in, I’m duty bound to clarify your misrepresentation of facts. In South Africa the President does not intervene on operational matters at the public broadcasters, neither did he intervene on your behalf. He simply pointed you to @Sophie_Mokoena who was the most appropriate person to raise your grievance with," Magwenya wrote.
Magwenya added that Fani-Kayode had declined to speak with South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) Foreign Editor Sophie Mokoena to resolve the technical misunderstanding, emphasizing that the South African head of state holds neither the legal authority nor the political mandate to interfere in the editorial or operational decisions of the public broadcaster.
In a counter-statement issued via its official X account, the Nigerian High Commission stood by its envoy, insisting that both Fani-Kayode and Nigeria had been subjected to unfair treatment and maintaining that Ramaphosa had indeed stepped in to resolve the matter.
"Our Ambassador, H.E. Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, @realFFK was treated with contempt and disdain and by extension so was Nigeria. H.E. President Cyril Ramaphosa, who we have the utmost respect for, did the right thing by intervening. We got the result we wanted. End of story," the mission stated.
Our Ambassador, H.E. Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, @realFFK was treated with contempt and disdain and by extension so was Nigeria. H.E. President Cyril Ramaphosa, who we have the utmost respect for, did the right thing by intervening. We got the result we wanted. End of story.
@officialABAT @KashimSM @HMMohammedIdris @YusufTuggar @NuhuRibadu @OfficialDSSNG @aonanuga1956 @SpokespersonRSA @DHQNigeria @Sophie_Mokoena @PresidencyZA @RonaldLamola @ARISEtv @channelstv @vanguardngrnews @TheNationNews @tvcnewsng @THISDAYLIVE @MobilePunch @LeadershipNGA @daily_trust @NewsCentralTV @SABCNews @DIRCO_ZA @NigeriaMFA @Ojukwu_Bianca @S_Enikanolaiye @CyrilRamaphosa @PremiumTimesng @thecableng
— Nigerian High Commission in South Africa. (@NGRHC_RSA) November 14, 2026
The High Commission's statement prompted a sharp rejoinder from Magwenya, who dismissed the mission's account as false and urged Nigerian diplomatic officials to familiarize themselves with South Africa's constitutional framework and broadcasting regulations.
"Even when it’s institutionalised, a lie remains a lie. There was no such intervention from the President or the Presidency and there will never be. Read our constitution and laws and familiarise yourself with the SABC editorial code. Stop disgracing yourself and your country," Magwenya replied.
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