SA plans June 30 immigrant crackdown; Nigerians should watch Ghana-Nigeria trade war parallels
South Africa's government plans to enforce a June 30 deadline to remove thousands of immigrants from sectors where they're deeply embedded like retail and services, despite warnings from Zimbabwe and Ghana where similar policies caused economic harm and diplomatic strains. For Nigerians, this echoes Ghana's 2013 Investment Promotion Centre Act that restricted Nigerians from petty trading and beauty salons - a policy that nearly sparked a trade war when Ghana tried shutting Nigerian-owned businesses in 2020 amid Nigeria's land border closure, putting at risk the half-million Ghanaians living and working in Nigeria. Zimbabwe's experience shows such citizens-only business reservations (like retail) often go unenforced due to diplomatic and supply chain fears, but South Africa's 2025-style restrictions could still deter investment. President Ramaphosa acknowledged regional engagement in his national address, but the article argues SA will fare better by tackling poverty and inequality roots rather than appeasing anti-immigrant sentiment. Will South Africa learn from Zimbabwe and Ghana's costly policy reversals, or repeat mistakes that disrupt Nigerian traders' livelihoods across the border?