Xenophobia: Hidden economic risk Africa’s leaders can’t ignore

As Africa pursues deeper economic integration through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), a market of 1.4 billion people with a combined GDP of $3 trillion, recent anti-migrant violence in South Africa undermines the trust essential for this vision. Social instability affects investor sentiment, business continuity, tourism, and regional supply chains. The four largest economies (South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana) contribute nearly $1 trillion in output, and any erosion of cooperation would have severe economic consequences for ordinary Africans.