The Nigerian Federal Government has evacuated another batch of 111 Nigerian nationals stranded in South Africa, following the increasing Xenophobic and Agoraphobic attacks against Africans in the former Apartheid enclave.
The Spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Olufemi Adeniyi, in a statement on Sunday, said the distressed Nigerian nationals arrived in Lagos from South Africa aboard South African Airways (SAA) Flight SA060 on Thursday, 8 October 2026.
The group, comprising 44 men, 23 women and 44 children, was received upon arrival by the officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and other relevant Federal Government agencies.
The evacuation of this latest batch was fully funded from the Two Hundred and Sixty-Five Thousand, Eight Hundred and Fifty-Four US Dollars ($265,854.00) donation made by the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) to support the evacuation of 500 distressed Nigerians from South Africa.
“The arrival of the returnees brings the total number of consular evacuations conducted from South Africa to fifteen (15) since the commencement of the ongoing evacuation exercise on 10 June 2026.
It also raises the cumulative number of Nigerian nationals evacuated from the country to 2,037, of whom 1388 had their repatriation cost fully covered by the Federal Government,” the statement said.
With the successful evacuation of this RCCG-funded batch, a total of 318 Nigerian nationals have had their one-way tickets funded by the Church. Therefore, 182 more nationals are expected to be repatriated, in line with RCCG’s commitment to fund 500 one-way tickets.
The Federal Government once again expressed its profound appreciation to the RCCG, under the leadership of Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, for its generous financial support for the evacuation of distressed Nigerians from South Africa.
The Federal Government reaffirmed its commitment to engaging relevant stakeholders, including authorities of South Africa, to address Xenophobia and Afrophobia in the country, and promote the welfare, safety and dignity of Nigerians residing there.
The Government also advised Nigerians in South Africa to continue to comply with local laws, remain vigilant and prioritise safety. They are also encouraged to maintain contact with the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria and the Consulate General in Johannesburg for consular assistance whenever needed.
“The Federal Government remains steadfast in its commitment to providing timely consular support to Nigerians in the diaspora and safeguarding their welfare and well-being,” the statement added.
