The federal government has announced that the RCCG has assisted in the evacuation of another batch of 105 Nigerians fleeing xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks in South Africa. This brings the total number of Nigerian nationals evacuated from South Africa to 1,821. The returnees, made up of 82 adults and 23 children, arrived Lagos aboard South African Airways Flight SA060 at about 8:30pm on Thursday.
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the evacuation of 100 of the 105 returnees was funded from the $265,854 donation made by the RCCG towards the purchase of one-way tickets for the evacuation of 500 distressed Nigerians from South Africa. The remaining five returnees were evacuated through a donation by a private Nigerian citizen. The ministry noted that the latest returnees constituted the 13th consular evacuation from South Africa since the exercise commenced on June 10, 2026.
The returnees were received on arrival by officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons, National Emergency Management Agency and other relevant Federal Government agencies. The government lauded the RCCG for its donation towards the evacuation and also appreciated other groups and individuals that had partnered with the government to assist Nigerians seeking to return home from South Africa.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman, Oluwafemi Adeniyi, disclosed the development in a statement issued on Saturday. The statement said Nigeria’s diplomatic mission was continuing engagements with the RCCG leadership in South Africa, as well as other philanthropic groups and individuals, to facilitate the evacuation of other distressed Nigerians.
The government remains deeply concerned about persistent Xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks against Nigerians and other Africans in South Africa. The Federal Government remains committed to pursuing diplomatic efforts and other measures to secure the cooperation of South African authorities in addressing xenophobia and Afrophobia and ensuring the safety, security and dignity of Nigerians resident in the country.
A total of 1,388 Nigerian nationals have been fully funded by the federal government, while 433 were evacuated through donations by the RCCG and private individuals. The government assured Nigerians in the diaspora that it would continue to deploy appropriate diplomatic and consular measures to assist them when necessary.
The Federal Government once again assures Nigerians in the diaspora that protecting their lives, rights, welfare is a top priority. The ministry added that some other distressed Nigerians are currently undergoing preliminary clearance with Nigeria’s Consulate in Johannesburg and relevant South African authorities and will be evacuated as soon as the process is finalized.
Key points
- The RCCG donated $265,854 towards the evacuation of 500 distressed Nigerians from South Africa.
- A total of 1,821 Nigerian nationals have been evacuated from South Africa since the exercise commenced on June 10, 2026.
- The government remains committed to pursuing diplomatic efforts to address xenophobia and Afrophobia in South Africa.
