The Federal Government has assured Nigerians residing in South Africa that all citizens who have indicated a willingness to return home due to ongoing anti-migrant attacks will be evacuated before the June 30 deadline.
The assurance was given by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, in a statement issued on Thursday through her Special Assistant on Communication and New Media, Magnus Eze.
According to the minister, the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remains committed to protecting Nigerians abroad and ensuring that no citizen willing to return from South Africa is left behind.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu disclosed that the evacuation process had already commenced, with the first batch of 258 Nigerians successfully airlifted from South Africa and received at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos on June 11 by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sola Enikanolaiye.
She revealed that approximately 1,000 Nigerians had registered for evacuation, adding that arrangements were being finalised to return the remaining citizens before the expiration of the deadline. This means that more than 742 Nigerians are expected to be evacuated in the coming days.
The minister stated that President Tinubu had directed that Nigerians facing threats, intimidation, and harassment in South Africa and who voluntarily wish to return home should receive immediate assistance.
She explained that the Nigerian government remains deeply concerned about reports of discrimination, intimidation, and attacks targeting Nigerians and other African migrants living in South Africa.
According to her, diplomatic engagements with South African authorities are ongoing, while Nigeria is also considering additional lawful options to address the situation.
She stressed that any future actions by the Nigerian government would be undertaken in accordance with constitutional provisions and established legislative procedures.
“When it comes to situations like this, it is necessary to be temperate and exercise caution. But when your citizens are being harassed, when your citizens are people who have spent years there, and some are married to South Africans and have children who have known no other home but South Africa, then it becomes a serious concern,” she said.
The minister expressed concern over what she described as unequal treatment of Nigerians despite the significant investments and business presence of South African companies operating in Nigeria.
She noted that more than 120 South African companies currently operate in Nigeria across various sectors, including telecommunications, banking, hospitality, and entertainment.
“As I indicated before, there are these huge conglomerates. There are over 120 South African companies operating in Nigeria. Nobody is asking them to provide proof of identity. Nobody is questioning South African staff working there, and nobody is taking over their businesses.
“But this is happening to Nigerians in South Africa. So, I think that at some point, we really have to review the options available to us,” she stated.
She specifically mentioned major South African brands operating in Nigeria, including MTN Nigeria, MultiChoice Nigeria, Stanbic IBTC Bank and Protea Hotels Nigeria.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu also criticised the activities of anti-migrant vigilante groups, saying their actions have endangered lives and livelihoods while damaging South Africa’s reputation across Africa and the wider international community.
According to her, the late South African statesman Nelson Mandela dedicated decades of his life to promoting South Africa as a symbol of African unity and pan-African values.
“This is causing reputational damage. Nelson Mandela worked so hard to project South Africa as the bastion of pan-Africanism. In one fell swoop, these anti-migrant vigilante groups have damaged that legacy,” she said.
The minister added that the rising incidents of xenophobic attacks have led to cancellations of conferences, concerts, and other events, contributing to South Africa’s growing reputation as a country struggling with anti-foreigner sentiment.
She further disclosed that South African authorities had declined to activate a Memorandum of Understanding signed with Nigeria in October 2025, which was intended to establish an early warning mechanism to protect the lives and property of citizens of both countries during periods of tension.
According to her, South Africa later argued that officials who signed the agreement on its behalf lacked the authority to make it legally binding and that additional procedures were necessary before implementation.
The minister also revealed that several African countries, including Ghana, Malawi, Zimbabwe and Mozambique, have begun evacuating their nationals from South Africa as concerns over the attacks continue to escalate.
She reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to safeguarding its citizens and ensuring that all Nigerians wishing to leave South Africa are safely evacuated before the June 30 deadline.
