The Federal Government is set to evacuate 83 Nigerians from South Africa amid renewed concerns over xenophobic attacks and anti-foreigner sentiments. The returnees are expected to arrive at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, on Wednesday, August 19, 2026.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs disclosed this in a statement on Monday, saying the Nigerians would return aboard South African Airways. According to the ministry, the flight will depart Oliver Tambo Airport, Johannesburg, at 3:35pm local time and arrive in Lagos at approximately 8:45pm.
It said the latest evacuation was made possible through the intervention and sponsorship of flight tickets by public-spirited private individuals. The ministry expressed appreciation to the individuals for supporting the repatriation exercise.
The latest development follows the conclusion of the Federal Government’s voluntary repatriation programme, through which nearly 1,490 Nigerians were returned from South Africa. The programme was implemented amid concerns over Afrophobic attacks and hostility towards foreign nationals.
The ministry said the government remained committed to protecting the welfare and dignity of Nigerians both at home and abroad under President Bola Tinubu’s administration. It said Nigerians living overseas remained important to national development under its Citizen Diplomacy agenda.
The ministry also urged corporate organisations, state governments, the organised private sector and other well-meaning Nigerians to support interventions during consular emergencies. It described the latest private-sector support as an example of a “whole of society approach” to protecting Nigerians abroad.
The government also said it would continue engaging South Africa and other host countries to address the causes of Afrophobia. It stressed that violence and discrimination against Nigerians should be condemned and perpetrators held accountable.
Meanwhile, South Africa’s anti-immigration group, March and March, has announced September 30 as a fresh deadline for undocumented foreigners to leave the country.
The group made the declaration during a protest outside the Southern African Development Community summit in Durban. March and March had previously organised nationwide demonstrations on June 30, demanding tougher measures against undocumented immigrants.
During its latest protest, the group called on African leaders attending the 46th SADC Summit to facilitate the return of citizens living in South Africa without legal documentation. The group warned that September 30 would mark what it described as the “mother of all protests” unless its immigration demands were addressed.
The 46th Ordinary SADC Summit is bringing together leaders from the regional bloc’s 16 member states in Durban. The protest has renewed attention on South Africa’s treatment of foreign nationals, particularly amid concerns about discrimination and violence against Africans from other countries.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa recently condemned discrimination and violence against foreign nationals. He expressed concern that people from other African countries had suffered mistreatment and, in some cases, been forced to leave South Africa because of threats of violence.
Ramaphosa said South Africa could not promote regional integration while practising exclusion within its communities. The June 30 demonstrations were followed by security operations and reports of attacks and looting in some areas, according to police reports cited in the original account.
The latest protest has placed the immigration dispute in direct focus at a regional summit involving countries whose nationals are affected by South Africa’s immigration tensions. Meanwhile, the Federal Government’s evacuation of the 83 Nigerians from South Africa highlights its continuing response to the concerns surrounding the safety and welfare of Nigerians in the country.
