Xenophobia: FG to repatriate over 1,000 Nigerians from South Africa

The Federal Government of Nigeria is preparing to repatriate over 1,000 citizens from South Africa due to escalating anti-immigration protests and rising xenophobic tensions.

The Foreign Ministry confirmed that screening for the voluntary repatriation flights commenced at the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria.

An initial batch of about 400 individuals is currently being processed.

Foreign Ministry Spokesman, Kimiebi Ebienfa, confirmed the development to AFP on Friday, saying the final figure was still being compiled.

“Total figure not out yet. We are expecting over 1,000 persons,” he said.

In a communiqué dated Tuesday, Nigeria’s High Commission in Pretoria said it had negotiated waivers with South African authorities to allow Nigerians with immigration-related offences to board repatriation flights rather than face detention.

The commission said the arrangement is intended to ensure the smooth and safe return of affected Nigerians.

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The voluntary evacuation program was initiated following a surge in anti-migrant rhetoric and targeted violence that left multiple foreign nationals dead and several shops destroyed.

Protests have erupted across major hubs like Pretoria and Johannesburg, where citizen-led groups issued an ultimatum for illegal migrants to be expelled.

South Africa’s high unemployment rate, which sits above 30 percent, remains a core driver of the recurring anti-immigrant sentiment.

Nigeria follows Ghana in this humanitarian intervention; the Ghanaian government recently completed the repatriation of hundreds of its own citizens facing similar safety threats

The latest tensions have revived uncomfortable debates across Africa about xenophobia, migration and the gap between pan-African rhetoric and realities facing migration on the continent.

The South African government has said it is stepping up enforcement against undocumented immigrants but urged citizens not to take matters into their own hands.

There are more than three million foreigners living in South Africa, or 5.1 percent of the population, according to the statistics agency.

More than 63 percent come from countries in the 16-member Southern African Development Community (SADC) bloc.

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