Renowned Kenyan legal scholar and Pan-Africanist, Professor Patrick Loch Otieno Lumumba, has identified unemployment, poverty and weak economic development as major factors fuelling xenophobia across Africa.

Lumumba said economic hardship and the failure of governments to create sufficient jobs were encouraging hostility towards migrants, as citizens increasingly viewed foreigners as competitors for limited opportunities.

He made the remarks while delivering a keynote address at The Bridge Club’s end-of-year event in Lagos on Thursday.

In his address titled “Africa Must Not Become Foreign to Itself: Xenophobia, Pan-Africanism and the Future of African Belonging,” Lumumba argued that migrants were often unfairly blamed for economic problems caused by poor governance and weak institutions.

He said African countries must address the structural causes of poverty and unemployment rather than turn against fellow Africans seeking better opportunities.

According to him, the continent’s continued dependence on exporting raw materials while importing finished products was contributing to job losses and limiting economic opportunities for its growing population.

“We export crude oil and import refined petroleum. We export cocoa and import chocolate. We export minerals and import the machines, batteries and technologies manufactured from them,” he said.

Lumumba argued that Africa was effectively creating employment opportunities in other parts of the world while millions of its young people struggled to find decent jobs at home.

He also criticised employers who exploit undocumented migrant workers by paying them below legally required wages, saying such practices create resentment among local workers.

He maintained that governments should enforce labour laws against exploitative employers instead of allowing violence and discrimination against migrants.

“The appropriate response is not violence against the migrant. It is enforcement of labour law against the employer,” he stated.

The Kenyan scholar further highlighted what he described as a contradiction in African attitudes towards migration, noting that people celebrate Nigerians seeking opportunities in London, Kenyans travelling to Dubai and Ghanaians relocating to Canada, but sometimes reject migrants arriving in their own countries.

He said Africans must recognise that people migrate primarily in search of better living conditions and economic opportunities.

Lumumba urged African governments to prioritise industrialisation, agricultural transformation, infrastructure, education and technology to create jobs and reduce economic hardship.

He also called for stronger economic cooperation among African countries, insisting that Pan-Africanism must go beyond political speeches and become a practical commitment to shared prosperity.

Earlier, the President of The Bridge Club, Abdulhakeem Mustapha (SAN), criticised discrimination against Africans in other African countries, describing it as inconsistent with the ideals of continental unity.

He called for greater respect, dignity and solidarity among African nations and their citizens.