PRETORIA – The South African authorities have released the speech delivered by Nigeria’s Ambassador to South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, after he protested the omission of his address from the official livestream of a diplomatic ceremony attended by President Cyril Ramaphosa.

The development followed complaints by Fani-Kayode that Nigeria was the only country among 15 participating diplomatic missions whose ambassador’s introduction and speech were excluded from the live broadcast of the presentation of Letters of Credence.

The ceremony, held on Friday, November 13, 2026, at the Sefako Makgatho Presidential Guest House in Pretoria, brought together ambassadors and heads of diplomatic missions from 15 countries, alongside the European Union, to formally present their credentials to President Ramaphosa.

Fani-Kayode had expressed displeasure after observing that the official livestream captured the introductions and speeches of other diplomats but was interrupted when it was Nigeria’s turn.

According to the Nigerian envoy, the transmission resumed immediately after he had completed his presentation to the South African President.

Describing the development as disturbing, Fani-Kayode said Nigeria was singled out in the broadcast, raising concerns about the treatment of the country and its diplomatic representation.

“The entire event was livestreamed, but of all the 15 introductions and speeches made that morning, only Nigeria’s was cut out,” he said.

The ambassador suggested that the omission might reflect the attitude of some individuals towards Nigeria, although no independent evidence has established that the country was deliberately censored.

“Clearly, some elements in South Africa do not want to hear what we have to say or see our faces, but we are here to stay as long as we are welcome and have the confidence of President Ramaphosa, which I am sure we do,” he added.

Fani-Kayode Raises Complaint With Ramaphosa

The Nigerian diplomat disclosed that he personally drew President Ramaphosa’s attention to the missing broadcast during the official photograph session that followed the presentation of credentials.

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According to Fani-Kayode, the South African leader reacted immediately, confronted officials responsible for the broadcast and questioned them about why Nigeria’s segment had been omitted.

He said Ramaphosa directed the relevant officials to address the situation.

However, the intervention came after the Nigerian ambassador’s presentation had already been excluded from the live transmission.

Fani-Kayode maintained that the omission did not mean his address was unavailable, as media organisations covering the ceremony, including Nigerian television crews, recorded the proceedings.

He also disclosed that he declined an interview request from the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), advising its representatives to watch the speech that had been left out of the official livestream.

The subsequent release of the speech has brought the development into renewed focus, although the circumstances surrounding its initial exclusion from the broadcast have not been independently established.

Tinubu’s Message to Ramaphosa

Despite the controversy, Fani-Kayode used the diplomatic occasion to reaffirm Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening relations with South Africa.

He conveyed fraternal greetings from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to Ramaphosa, emphasising the historical relationship between both countries and Nigeria’s contributions to South Africa’s struggle against apartheid.

The ambassador said his diplomatic assignment would focus on rebuilding confidence, addressing areas of disagreement and expanding cooperation between the two African nations.

He identified trade, industrial development, economic cooperation and regional stability as important areas requiring greater collaboration.

Fani-Kayode also stressed that Nigeria and South Africa must maintain mutual respect, given their historical contributions, strategic importance and influence across the African continent.

He acknowledged Ramaphosa’s personal intervention following his complaint but maintained that his respect for South Africa and its people would not prevent him from speaking against actions he considered disrespectful to Nigeria and its citizens.

The diplomatic incident comes amid heightened concerns over the treatment and safety of Nigerians living in South Africa, following reported xenophobic attacks and killings that have strained relations between the two countries.

Fani-Kayode has previously warned that Nigeria’s patience was wearing thin over attacks on its citizens but cautioned against calls for a complete breakdown of diplomatic and economic relations.

The ambassador has consistently advocated dialogue, mutual respect and stronger Pan-African cooperation, arguing that the historical sacrifices made by Nigeria and other African countries towards ending apartheid should remain a foundation for lasting friendship.

With the release of his speech following the protest, attention is now expected to focus on the circumstances surrounding the broadcast omission and the need to ensure that diplomatic engagements involving Nigeria receive appropriate representation.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has recovered more than ₦5.3 billion following a review of local government accounts in seven states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The anti-corruption agency has also announced plans to make all 774 local government areas in Nigeria publish their financial records online, in a move aimed at strengthening transparency and accountability in the management of public funds.

ICPC Chairman, Dr Musa Adamu Aliyu, disclosed the recoveries on Thursday, November 12, 2026, in Lafia, Nasarawa State, during the launch of the ICPC-National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) Local Government Websites Pilot.

According to the commission, the review of local government accounts exposed financial risks at the grassroots level and demonstrated the importance of monitoring how public allocations and other revenues are managed.

Aliyu said the recovery of more than ₦5.3 billion showed what scrutiny could achieve, adding that the proposed digital disclosure initiative would help prevent further financial abuses.

He explained that the programme was designed to ensure that local governments made information about their finances and activities accessible to residents, journalists and relevant oversight institutions.

The initiative comes against the backdrop of the Supreme Court’s July 2024 judgment on local government financial autonomy, which affirmed that statutory allocations due to democratically elected councils should be paid directly to them rather than being controlled by state governments.

Aliyu said the judgment had increased the responsibility of local government authorities to account for funds received and ensure that public resources were used for the benefit of residents.

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“Autonomy brings responsibility. Funds that now flow directly to the councils must be spent openly and for the benefit of the people,” he said.

Under the new arrangement, local government councils will be required to publish information in five major areas, including financial records, public procurement, human resources, citizen engagement and anti-corruption measures.

The financial disclosures will cover budgets, statutory allocations, internally generated revenue, expenditure, audit reports and debts.

The platforms will also provide information on procurement processes, staffing and opportunities for residents to submit feedback, complaints and whistleblowing reports.

Aliyu said regular publication of these records would enable citizens to monitor how public funds were spent, while journalists and oversight agencies would have better access to information needed to identify possible irregularities.

He urged local government chairpersons to appoint dedicated officers to manage the websites and ensure that the information published was accurate, current and regularly updated.

The ICPC chairman warned that launching the websites without maintaining them would undermine the purpose of the initiative.

He added that the commission intended to approach the programme as a partnership for preventing corruption rather than an instrument for witch-hunting local government officials.

The National Information Technology Development Agency, led by its Director-General, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, is providing the technological support for the project.

Abdullahi disclosed that NITDA would register domain names, develop the websites and provide hosting services for at least one year for all 774 local government areas.

While NITDA will provide the digital infrastructure, the ICPC will establish the content standards and accountability framework to guide the information councils are expected to publish.

He said the initiative was designed to improve governance, strengthen citizen engagement and create economic opportunities by making government information easier to access.

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Abdullahi also said the project would reduce the difficulties residents face when trying to obtain information about community projects or lodge complaints with their local councils.

The pilot programme commenced in Nasarawa State, making it the first state to begin implementing the ICPC-NITDA local government website initiative.

Governor Abdullahi Sule, who formally flagged off the programme in Lafia, designated the Nasarawa State Information Technology and Digital Economy Agency as the state’s technical partner.

Sule directed local government councils to take responsibility for the accuracy of information published on their platforms and appoint officers to verify records before uploading them.

He said the success of the initiative would depend on whether residents could easily access useful and up-to-date information, rather than merely on the launch of the websites.

The governor also challenged the ICPC and NITDA to extend the financial disclosure initiative to state governments, offering Nasarawa as the first state willing to participate.

He said publishing information about funds meant for local governments would help citizens establish where such allocations were held up and improve accountability across the different levels of government.

The Speaker of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, Danladi Jatau, pledged the legislature’s support for the programme, noting that the Constitution empowers state assemblies to oversee local government finances.

The Emir of Lafia, Justice Sidi Bage Muhammad I (retd.), also commended the ICPC, NITDA and the Nasarawa State Government for the initiative.

The nationwide rollout is expected to extend the digital disclosure system to all 774 local government areas, giving residents a more direct way to scrutinise council budgets, allocations, spending and development projects.

For the ICPC, the initiative represents an effort to complement the recovery of public funds with preventive measures designed to make financial information accessible and strengthen accountability at the grassroots.

However, the commission’s disclosure did not identify the seven states or provide a breakdown of the amounts recovered from each state and the FCT. The ₦5.3 billion figure therefore represents the aggregate recovery announced by the agency.