RismadarVoice Reporters
November 14, 2026
The South African Presidency has released a video featuring the speech delivered by Nigeria’s High Commissioner to South Africa, Femi Fani-Kayode, following his protest over the omission of his address from the official livestream of a diplomatic ceremony.
The incident occurred on Friday, November 13, during the presentation of letters of credence to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa at the Sefako M. Makgatho Presidential Guest House in Pretoria.
Fani-Kayode participated in the ceremony alongside 14 other newly accredited diplomatic representatives.
During the official livestream, a broadcast interruption occurred while French Ambassador Antoine Michon was delivering his remarks.
Fani-Kayode, who was scheduled to speak immediately afterwards, was not shown delivering his address before the broadcast switched to President Ramaphosa.
Reacting, the Nigerian diplomat alleged that his speech had been deliberately excluded, describing the omission as unacceptable.
He subsequently disclosed that he raised the matter directly with Ramaphosa during a photo session after the ceremony.
According to Fani-Kayode, the South African President referred the complaint to relevant officials and directed them to address it.
The Presidency later published a recording containing the Nigerian envoy’s full address on its official YouTube channel.
The footage was reportedly uploaded at approximately 4:23 p.m., about two hours after the diplomat publicly complained.
In his address, Fani-Kayode pledged to strengthen diplomatic, economic and political cooperation between Nigeria and South Africa.
He recalled Nigeria’s support for South Africa during the struggle against apartheid and emphasised the importance of maintaining close relations between the two countries.
The envoy also expressed support for greater African cooperation on international affairs, highlighting South Africa’s involvement in BRICS and its positions on global diplomatic issues.
He praised Ramaphosa’s efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s participation in international economic discussions.
Fani-Kayode further described his appointment as an opportunity to rebuild trust and address disagreements affecting bilateral relations.
He said the ceremony marked the first appointment of a substantive Nigerian High Commissioner to South Africa in four years.
Although the speech has now been published, the South African Presidency has not publicly established that the original omission was deliberate.
The incident has drawn attention to diplomatic protocol and the importance of accurate public broadcasting during official state ceremonies.
