Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man, has admonished Africans to shun hate and any form of violence against their fellow Africans if they want the continent to prosper.

The Nigerian business magnate made the comment in reaction to the ongoing xenophobic attacks on non-South African Africans, especially Nigerians resident in South Africa.

Foreign businesses have been destroyed and looted by angry South African youths.

Ghana and Nigeria have told their citizens to "avoid travelling to high risk and volatile areas" in South Africa until the situation is brought under control.

Nigerians have begun retaliatory attacks on South African businesses in a number of Nigerian cities, forcing telecommunications giant – MTN – to close all its shops and service centres.

Mr Dangote, who is ranked by Forbes Magazine as the 100th-richest person in the world, in a tweet, said: “Our aspirations for a shared and sustainable prosperity can only be achieved when we live in peace and unity, shunning hate and any form of violent attack on African brotherhood.

“It is time for Africans to put Africa at the centre of its own development, by harnessing our entrepreneurial and intellectual skills. Let us collectively shun hate and reprisal attacks.”

“Our aspirations for a shared and sustainable prosperity can only be achieved when we live in peace and unity, shunning hate and any form of violent attack on African brotherhood...(1/2)

— Aliko Dangote (@AlikoDangote) September 4, 2019

“It is time for Africans to put Africa at the centre of its own development, by harnessing our entrepreneurial and intellectual skills. Let us collectively shun hate and reprisal attacks. (2/2)

— Aliko Dangote (@AlikoDangote) September 4, 2019