The Federal Government has expressed growing frustration over what it describes as the South African government's inadequate response to a fresh wave of xenophobic attacks against Nigerians living in the country, warning that retaliatory diplomatic measures, including a review of bilateral privileges, remain under consideration. Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, disclosed this on Monday while briefing journalists after a meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The minister rejected allegations by some South African officials that Nigerians affected by the attacks were undocumented migrants, insisting that many of the victims are legally resident business owners and their families.
“Our citizens are being harassed. Our citizens’ properties are being looted. Criminal actions are being perpetrated, and the police refuse to do anything. The South African government has not come out strongly and firmly enough to condemn these incidents.
“To say that Nigerians who are in South Africa doing legitimate business are illegal migrants is absolutely untrue. People who are doing legitimate business have their shops looted and their shops set on fire. Children cannot go to school because they are intimidated in their schools,” Odumegwu-Ojukwu said.
She noted that Nigeria’s historic role in supporting South Africa’s anti-apartheid struggle makes the current treatment of Nigerians particularly troubling.
“Nigeria is not happy with South Africa. Nigeria sacrificed much for the South African struggle for independence. Nigeria committed funds and committed resources. In schools, seats were reserved for South African students.
“My own generation, we carried placards; we demonstrated in front of South African assets. Sometimes we even got arrested for doing this. Nigeria is a serious frontline state, and Nigerians are not happy about how they have been treated,” she added.
Commenting on the nature of the attacks, the minister said, “They are not asking other migrants to leave. They are only asking Black migrants to leave.”
Asked whether Nigeria could impose retaliatory measures against South African businesses and citizens, including reviewing privileges currently enjoyed in Nigeria, she said the option was being considered at the highest levels of government.
“That is a situation that we are considering. This is a decision that has to be taken at the highest level of government. But it is not off the table,” she stated.
The House of Representatives had earlier proposed a temporary suspension of business permits granted to South African companies operating in Nigeria, while the Senate resolved to dispatch a delegation led by Senate President Godswill Akpabio to formally convey Nigeria’s concerns to South African authorities.
On efforts to evacuate affected citizens, Odumegwu-Ojukwu confirmed that President Tinubu approved five evacuation flights to be operated by Air Peace and directed the establishment of a crisis response unit at Nigeria’s diplomatic missions in Johannesburg and Pretoria.
According to her, 1,092 Nigerians had voluntarily registered for repatriation as of June 8, while more than 500 had already completed screening procedures. The registration process has been extended until June 10 to accommodate additional applicants.
The first evacuation flight, initially scheduled to depart Johannesburg on Monday with about 270 passengers, was postponed until Wednesday due to logistical arrangements. The minister clarified that the delay was operational and unrelated to diplomatic issues.
She explained that the evacuation exercise is being coordinated with the National Emergency Management Agency and other government institutions to ensure proper reintegration of returnees.
“This evacuation is being undertaken with NEMA. We are doing that with various government agencies and parastatals to ensure that once Nigerians come in, they can be rehabilitated,” she said.
The latest tensions followed anti-immigration demonstrations organised by groups such as Operation Dudula and March for March in late April 2026, sparking widespread concern among foreign nationals across several South African provinces.
South Africa’s government had previously expressed reservations about Nigeria’s evacuation plans. During a telephone conversation on May 7, South Africa’s foreign minister raised concerns over the initiative, but Odumegwu-Ojukwu defended the decision.
“I maintained that our government cannot stand by and watch the systematic harassment and humiliation of our nationals resident in South Africa as well as the extrajudicial killings of our people, and that the evacuation of our citizens who want to return home remains our government’s priority at this time,” she said.
Earlier, on May 4, the Federal Government summoned South Africa’s Acting High Commissioner to Nigeria, Lesoli Machele, for urgent discussions over the situation.
Xenophobic violence has repeatedly strained relations between both countries, with major outbreaks recorded in 2008, 2015 and 2019. Those incidents resulted in deaths, displacement and destruction of property belonging to foreign nationals, including many Nigerians.
During the 2019 crisis, Air Peace Chairman Allen Onyema provided free evacuation flights for Nigerians seeking to return home. The unrest also prompted Nigeria to recall its High Commissioner from Pretoria, while several South African-owned businesses in Nigeria became targets of retaliatory attacks.