₦airaland Forum

The Federal Government has announced that another batch of 83 Nigerians evacuated from South Africa will return to the country on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, amid concerns over Afrophobic attacks and growing anti-foreigner sentiments.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday by its spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa.

According to the ministry, the returnees will leave Oliver Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg, at about 3:35 p.m. local time aboard a South African Airways flight and are expected to arrive at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, around 8:45 p.m. the same day.

The ministry said the latest evacuation was made possible through the intervention of private individuals who sponsored the returnees’ air tickets.

“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 latest repatriation comes after the completion of the Federal Government’s voluntary evacuation programme, which saw nearly 1,490 Nigerians return from South Africa amid concerns over attacks, discrimination and hostility towards foreign nationals.

The ministry said the administration of President Bola Tinubu remained committed to safeguarding the welfare, dignity and interests of Nigerians both within the country and overseas.

It said the government’s Citizen Diplomacy policy recognises Nigerians living abroad as “not as a burden, but as critical assets for national development,” stressing that their safety and well-being remained a priority.

The ministry also praised the individuals and philanthropists who provided financial support for the latest evacuation, describing their intervention as an example of the “whole-of-society approach” being encouraged by the government.

“The Ministry commends their patriotism and selflessness, which have significantly alleviated the plight of our compatriots in South Africa,” it added.

The Federal Government called on the organised private sector, corporate bodies, state governments, philanthropists and other Nigerians at home and abroad to support efforts aimed at assisting citizens facing emergencies outside the country.

The ministry said broader collaboration would strengthen the country’s ability to respond swiftly to consular crises and protect Nigerians in distress.

It also disclosed that Nigeria would continue diplomatic engagements with South Africa in an effort to address the underlying factors responsible for Afrophobia and prevent further attacks against Nigerians and other Africans.

“The government remains committed to deepening strategic partnerships with host nations, including South Africa, to address the root causes of Afrophobia and ensure that such acts of violence and discrimination against Nigerians are prevented and are strongly condemned when they occur, including holding perpetrators of such violence to account,” the ministry stated.

The ministry expressed appreciation to the private sponsors who funded the latest evacuation and urged other stakeholders to support initiatives aimed at protecting Nigerians living and working abroad.

Source: https://dailypost.ng/2026/08/17/xenophobia-nigerian-govt-to-evacuate-83-more-nigerians-from-south-africa-wednesday

Some Nigerians are still in south Africa. Doing what there

Kindness218:
Some Nigerians are still in south Africa. Doing what there

I just don't know, this thing should be done with.

tomorrow a new set will wake up to reality and call for help again.

I dont know what people are still looking for in that place walahi

Ehen?
.
I trust our japarians to dey dodge southy authorities than to come back this corn-tree

SEGLIZ:
I just don't know, this thing should be done with.

tomorrow a new set will wake up to reality and call for help again.

u think it's easy to just wake up, leave a country and start afresh in another country?

If e easy, all of us for don jakpa comot for Naija

:::


So the Nigerian government doesn't have money to evacuate it's citizens from there? Or is it that it's not a priority?


They had to rely on the goodwill of private citizens.


Secondly, the comment issued about Nigerian remaining committed deepening strategic partnership blablabla is irritating already after all south African has done to show they aren't interested in that partnership.


:::

richmond500:
u think it's easy to leave a country and start a fresh in another country?

If e easy, all of us for don jakpa comot for Naija

:::


Leave them. They don't even understand or know what they are talking about.


Some people have lived in that country for decades and have built their lives - family, business there.


They think it's just easy to wake up one morning and fold your bags and leave when it hadn't been planned for... especially when you have nothing to fall back to where you are headed.


People live on hope that things will change and get better. That's why we are human beings.


Some people just make comments casually without deeply thoughts about what they are saying.


:::

The bottom line is that we need to build our country to become the envy of the rest of the world as well
All those countries you're running to can only take so much before they turn against you.
From 2016-2020, Canada was packing people into their country like garri
Today they are actively looking for ways to send them back
Those countries did not become beautiful and desirable overnight
They can't maintain that high standard if they keep stretching their basic infrastructure for foreigners some of whom contribute little
Africans wake up!!

Kindness218:
Some Nigerians are still in south Africa. Doing what there

Some have chosen to die there than return back to nigeria very unfortunate.

Come back home Nigerians. Nigeria is working!

Tinubu and the APC government have restored the Nigeria economy and it is on the pathway of becoming one of the biggest economies in the world.

Come back home Nigerians. Let us build our dream home in our own land.

brain54:
:::


So the Nigerian government doesn't have money to evacuate it's citizens from there?


They had to rely on the goodwill of private citizens.


Secondly, the comment issued about Nigerian remaining committed deepening strategic partnership blablabla is irritating already after all south African has done to show they aren't interested in that partnership.


:::

Same govt that their supporters say is generating unprecedented revenue and is the single reason why states are doing "massive projects" does not have money for a single flight from South Africa and have to depend on the same people they taxed the hell out of and removed subsidy from?
Talk about a clueless and inefficient govt and this is prime example

benuejosh:
Come back home Nigerians. Nigeria is working!

Tinubu and the APC government have restored the Nigeria economy and it is on the pathway of becoming one of the biggest economies in the world.

Come back home Nigerians. Let us build our dream home in our own land.

Same govt that couldn't pay for their flight and had to rely on private individuals
Are you sure you're OK?

brain54:
:::


Leave them. They don't even understand or know what they are talking about.


Some people have lived in that country for decades and have built their lives - family, business there.


They think it's just easy to wake up one morning and fold your bags and leave when it hadn't been planned for... especially when you have nothing to fall back to where you are headed.


People live on hope that things will change and get better. That's why we are human beings.


Some people just make comments casually without deeply thoughts about what they are saying.


:::

I think it's not worth it if continuing staying will eventually cost u ur life there's no duplicate to life once u loose it it's gone forever so why not wisely safe guard it by moving to somewhere more safer?

Kukutente23:
Same govt that couldn't pay for their flight and had to rely on private individuals
Are you sure you're OK?

i wonder which whatsapp group they feed you guys with those kind of false news.

Kukutente23:
Same govt that their supporters say is generating unprecedented revenue and is the single reason why states are doing "massive projects" does not have money for a single flight from South Africa and have to depend on the same people they taxed the hell out of and removed subsidy from?
Talk about a clueless and inefficient govt and this is prime example

:::


They are really just clueless running around like headless chickens. They have absolutely no idea or plan how to handle the matter.


That's why they keep issuing that useless statement about strategic partnership.


They don't know what else to say or do.


:::

Mrexcell:
I think it's not worth it if continuing staying will eventually cost u ur life there's no duplicate to life once u loose it it's gone forever so why not wisely safe guard it by moving to somewhere more safer?

:::


By jumping on the next flight to a bleak nothing?

It's not as easy as that. Sometimes you have to put yourself in situations/circumstances before making judgements or comments.

Some have stayed there for years. Some people have wives and kids... family they just can't bundle into a plane and come to start from a scratch from nowhere.

Some have jobs/ business they have built over the years.


Think about that bros.


Humans always live with hope that things will change and get better.

:::

I hope some of them are not amongst those who told Peter Obi they prefer to die in South Africa.?

benuejosh:
i wonder which whatsapp group they feed you guys with those kind of false news.

It's the WhatsApp group where we read the Op before making comment

I wish seun and his mods can ban randigital,irongalaxy and other South Africa from this forum

I’ll be so happy

Imalwayshorny:
I wish seun and his mods can ban randigital,irongalaxy and other South Africa from this forum

I’ll be so happy

:::


Those ones are spies. Always, coming here to pick negative news they can use in their warped arguments against.


I call them the spies from the south.


I don't know about banning them though. We aren't intolerant like they are.


:::

brain54:
:::


By jumping on the next flight to a bleak nothing?

It's not as easy as that. Sometimes you have to put yourself in situations/circumstances before making judgements or comments.

Some have stayed there for years. Some people have wives and kids... family they just can't bundle into a plane and come to start from a scratch from nowhere.

Some have jobs/ business they have built over the years.


Think about that bros.


Humans always live with hope that things will change and get better.

:::

Some of them that has dared to return where compensated as much as #20m each in Some states the least I have read that a state governor gave to them is #1m so it's definitely worth daring and reasonable to return for now at least till the situation stabilise over there or carefully make another plans to relocate somewhere else while still safely in nigeria there's no place like ur own home no matter the comfort and luxury that's out there in south africa. The jobs and businesses u are even talking about in SA isn't it the ones we are watching on videos that are being taken over and mindlessly looted by south african xenophobic mobs?

richmond500:
u think it's easy to just wake up, leave a country and start afresh in another country?

If e easy, all of us for don jakpa comot for Naija

Do you prefer to get killed in a foreign country or have your business burnt or looted,than coming back home with your life?

Imalwayshorny:
I wish seun and his mods can ban randigital,irongalaxy and other South Africa from this forum

I’ll be so happy

Lol.. we wish they banned your nationality from South Africa

Mrexcell:
Some of them that has dared to return where compensated as much as #20m each in Some states the least I have read that a state governor gave to them is #1m so it's definitely worth daring and reasonable to return for now at least till the situation stabilise over there or carefully make another plans to relocate somewhere else while still safely in nigeria there's no place like ur own home no matter the comfort and luxury that's out there in south africa. The jobs and businesses u are even talking about in SA isn't it the ones we are watching on videos that are being taken over and mindlessly looted by south african xenophobic mobs?

:::


Who was compensated with 20 million naira or even least 1million?


Abeg you don't make me laugh this morning...


The core of the matter in what I am saying is that it's not as easy and simple as jumping on a plane and leaving. It's not as simple as all these things you are typing.


It's not as easy as no place like home so return to your country.


It's never that easy except when you haven't been in such situation before.


It's always easy to cook bitter leaf soup with mouth.


:::

[quote author=brain54 post=140369702]:::


Who was compensated with 20 million naira or even least 1million?


Here in delta state the governor actually gave south africa returnees #20m each am surprised u didn't read it in the news.

[quote author=Mrexcell post=140369769][/quote]:::

You can share evidence to this claim.... if it were true and I strongly doubt it is. How many of the returnees were compensated with such amounts of the over 1000 plus so far that have returned?


Majority of them will fall back to nothing and have to depend completely on themselves alone and a few others on family ready to support to pick themselves back up.


It's never worth it coming back with the intention or plan of depending on the nigerian government to put yourself back up together because they will disappoint you.


It's better to make your plans and arrangements for your self rather than coming to depend and build hope on nigerian government. Who does that?

If you were in such situation you would come back with the hope of Nigerian government giving you 20milion?

Pls let us be pragmatic.


Kindly Share evidence of your 20 million claim.


:::

Kindness218:
Some Nigerians are still in south Africa. Doing what there

We won't come back until Peter Obi becomes the president of Nigeria .

brain54:
:::

You can share evidence to this claim.... if it were true and I strongly doubt it is. How many of the returnees were compensated with such amounts of the over 1000 plus so far that have returned?


Majority of them will fall back to nothing and have to depend completely on themselves alone and a few others on family ready to support to pick themselves back up.


It's never worth it coming back with the intention or plan of depending on the nigerian government to put yourself back up together because they will disappoint you.


It's better to make your plans and arrangements for your self rather than coming to depend and build hope on nigerian government. Who does that?

If you were in such situation you would come back with the hope of Nigerian government giving you 20milion?

Pls let us be pragmatic.


Kindly Share evidence of your 20 million claim.


:::

Sorry it was actually #2m and not #20m which also includes a monthly stipend of #200k monthly upkeep for individuals and #300k for families.


Delta State Gives ₦2m, Stipends to South Africa Returnees https://share.google/ORGDEd8Ax7CmvHMIy

Gbogboski:
Do you prefer to get killed in a foreign country or have your business burnt or looted,than coming back home with your life?

Nigerians in thousands are getting killed monthly in Nigeria, people are now scared of traveling for fear of getting kidnapped and killed.
Compare that to 105 Nigerians that have been killed in SA since 2019.

Now the question is, why are u still in Nigeria, do you plan to get killed?
If e easy, u for don jakpa

Mrexcell:
Some of them that has dared to return where compensated as much as #20m each in Some states the least I have read that a state governor gave to them is #1m so it's definitely worth daring and reasonable to return for now at least till the situation stabilise over there or carefully make another plans to relocate somewhere else while still safely in nigeria there's no place like ur own home no matter the comfort and luxury that's out there in south africa. The jobs and businesses u are even talking about in SA isn't it the ones we are watching on videos that are being taken over and mindlessly looted by south african xenophobic mobs?

the Delta State governor vow to give N2m per affected family, per family o, not per person, and it's 2m not ₦20m. Yet till today, not a single family have received the money