FG evacuates 83 more Nigerians from South Africa amid renewed anti-immigrant tensions

The latest evacuation comes amid renewed concerns over anti-foreigner sentiments, Afrophobia and the treatment of undocumented migrants in South Africa, with an anti-immigration group, March and March, announcing a fresh September 30 deadline for undocumented foreigners to leave the country.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a statement, said the 83 Nigerians would return to the country aboard South African Airways after departing the O. R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg at 3:35 pm local time.

They are expected to arrive in Lagos at approximately 8:45 pm the same day.

According to the ministry, the latest repatriation was made possible through the intervention and sponsorship of flight tickets by public-spirited private individuals.

The government expressed appreciation to the individuals for supporting the evacuation, describing their intervention as an example of public-private collaboration in responding to consular emergencies.

The latest batch comes after the conclusion of the Federal Government’s voluntary repatriation programme, under which nearly 1,490 Nigerians were evacuated from South Africa amid heightened concerns over xenophobic attacks and anti-foreigner sentiments.

The ministry said the government remained committed to protecting the welfare, dignity and interests of Nigerians at home and abroad under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.

It said the protection of Nigerians in the diaspora remained a key component of its Citizen Diplomacy agenda, stressing that Nigerians living abroad were important assets to national development.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is pleased to announce that a new batch of 83 Nigerian nationals will arrive at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, via South African Airways.

“They are expected to depart the O. R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg at 3.35 pm local time to arrive in Lagos at approximately 08.45 pm the same day.

“The Ministry wishes to note that this latest cohort of returnees is facilitated through the kind intervention and sponsorship of tickets by public-spirited private individuals, whose generosity the federal government acknowledges with profound gratitude”, the statement said.

The ministry urged the organised private sector, corporate organisations, state governments, philanthropists and other well-meaning Nigerians at home and abroad to emulate the initiative and support government efforts during consular emergencies.

It said such partnerships were particularly important in situations requiring urgent evacuation, protection or humanitarian assistance for Nigerians abroad.

The ministry also said Nigeria would continue to engage South African authorities through diplomatic channels to address the underlying causes of Afrophobia and prevent violence and discrimination against Nigerians and other African nationals.

It stressed that attacks, discrimination and other forms of mistreatment against foreign nationals must be condemned and that perpetrators should be held accountable.

The latest evacuation is taking place against the backdrop of renewed anti-immigration activities in South Africa, where tensions surrounding undocumented migration have remained a major political and social issue.

South Africa’s anti-immigration group, March and March, on Tuesday staged a protest in Durban, where the 46th Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Southern African Development Community was being held.

The group marched through central Durban under a campaign calling on African leaders attending the summit to take back their citizens living in South Africa without legal documentation.

March and March also announced September 30 as a fresh deadline for undocumented foreigners to leave South Africa, threatening what it described as a larger protest if its demands were not addressed.

The group said the latest action represented the “second wave” of its June 30 National Day of Action and called on African leaders to support the deportation of undocumented foreigners.

“We are announcing the second wave of the 30 June National Day of Action and calling on the heads of state to prepare for the massive deportation of all illegal foreigners from South Africa by 30 September, which will be the mother of all protests,” the group said, according to BBC News Pidgin.

It also urged South Africans to comply with immigration laws and assist law enforcement agencies in identifying undocumented foreigners.

The latest demonstration follows nationwide protests organised by the group on June 30, when it demanded tougher government action against undocumented migrants.

The protests and subsequent security operations were accompanied by reports of attacks and looting in some areas, further intensifying concerns over the safety of foreign nationals in the country.

The renewed campaign has also placed the issue of migration at the centre of discussions surrounding the SADC summit, which brings together leaders from the regional bloc’s 16 member states.

The timing of the protest is particularly significant as many citizens of SADC member states and other African countries live and work in South Africa, with the country’s immigration policies and treatment of foreign nationals often generating diplomatic concerns across the continent.

Cyril Ramaphosa, South African President, has previously condemned xenophobia and discrimination against African migrants, acknowledging concerns over the treatment of foreigners in the country.

“We are deeply ashamed that people from other countries have suffered ill-treatment and that others have been forced to leave the country because of threats of violence,” Ramaphosa said.

He also warned against a contradiction between regional integration efforts and exclusionary practices within individual countries.

“We cannot preach integration at a summit like this and practise exclusion on the streets of our countries,” he said.

For Nigeria, the renewed tensions have heightened the importance of diplomatic engagement and consular protection, particularly as a large Nigerian community resides in South Africa.

The Federal Government’s latest evacuation underscores its continuing efforts to respond to situations in which Nigerians abroad face heightened security or welfare concerns.

However, the government has continued to emphasise diplomatic engagement rather than mass repatriation as the long-term approach to addressing the challenges confronting Nigerians in South Africa.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Nigeria would deepen strategic partnerships with South Africa and other host countries to tackle the root causes of Afrophobia, promote peaceful coexistence and ensure that Nigerians abroad are protected from violence and discrimination.

The government also called for greater collaboration among governments, businesses, civil society organisations and individuals to strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to respond rapidly to emergencies affecting its citizens overseas.