The Federal Government says it will conclude the evacuation of Nigerians who have indicated willingness to return from South Africa by Tuesday, June 30, 2026, amid renewed concerns over xenophobic violence and rising insecurity targeting foreign nationals.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday, June 18, 2026, assuring that all registered Nigerians will be evacuated within the deadline.
She said about 1,000 Nigerians had signed up for voluntary evacuation, adding that the exercise is already underway in batches coordinated by the Federal Government.
According to her, 258 evacuees arrived in Lagos on June 11, 2026, and were received at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sola Enikanolaiye.
She added that more than 742 Nigerians are still expected to be airlifted in subsequent flights to complete the evacuation process before the deadline.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu said President Bola Tinubu had directed that Nigerians in South Africa who face threats or harassment and choose to return voluntarily must be assisted without delay.
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She expressed concern over continued reports of discrimination and attacks against Nigerians and other African migrants, noting that the Federal Government is engaging South African authorities through diplomatic channels to address the situation.
While stressing Nigeria’s commitment to restraint and dialogue, she said the safety and welfare of Nigerians abroad remain a top priority of government policy.
The minister also highlighted the human impact of the situation, noting that some affected Nigerians are married to South African citizens with children born and raised in the country.
She criticised what she described as unequal treatment of Nigerians compared to South African companies operating in Nigeria, including MTN, MultiChoice, Stanbic IBTC, and Protea Hotels.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu further said activities of anti-migrant vigilante groups have worsened tensions and damaged South Africa’s international image.
She added that South African authorities had declined to activate a bilateral Memorandum of Understanding on an early warning mechanism signed in October 2025, citing procedural issues.
She also noted that countries including Ghana, Malawi, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique have already begun evacuating their nationals from South Africa over similar security concerns.