The Federal Government has assured Nigerians in South Africa that all citizens who have signified interest in returning home amid ongoing anti-migrant violence will be evacuated before June 30. This is as the government warned that it may review options against South African businesses operating in Nigeria, including MTN, MultiChoice, and Stanbic, as the situation has taken a particularly troubling dimension. This was contained in a statement issued on Thursday on behalf of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, by her Special Assistant on Communication and New Media, Magnus Eze.
The minister said the Tinubu administration remained committed to the safety and welfare of Nigerians abroad and would ensure that no citizen willing to return from South Africa was left behind.
The evacuation, which is in its midway, began with the first batch of 258 Nigerians already airlifted from South Africa and received at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on June 11 by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, with over 742 Nigerians still expected to be evacuated in subsequent batches. She disclosed that about 1,000 Nigerians had registered for evacuation, noting that arrangements were being concluded to bring home the remaining citizens before the deadline.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu said President Bola Tinubu had directed that Nigerians exposed to danger and harassment in South Africa who voluntarily opted to return be assisted without delay. She raised concern over reports of discrimination and attacks against Nigerians and other African migrants, while noting that Nigeria was engaging South African authorities through diplomatic channels and exploring lawful options to address the situation.
She further stated that the activities of anti-migrant vigilante groups have caused reputational damage to South Africa and undermined its global image as a post-apartheid symbol of pan-African unity.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu added that South African authorities had declined to activate a Memorandum of Understanding on an early warning mechanism signed with Nigeria in October 2025, which was intended to protect citizens during periods of tension, citing procedural issues. She also noted that countries including Ghana, Malawi, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique had begun evacuating their nationals from South Africa over rising security concerns.