Fresh batch of Nigerian evacuees from South Africa arrives tomorrow

On Wednesday, 19th August, 2026, an additional 83 Nigerian nationals will arrive at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos from South Africa, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The spokesperson for the Ministry, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, announced that the evacuees are set to depart from O. R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg at 3.35 pm local time, with their arrival in Lagos expected around 08.45 pm on the same day.

The Ministry expressed deep gratitude to public-spirited private individuals who sponsored the tickets for this particular group of returnees. This latest group arrives following the conclusion of the government's voluntary repatriation program, which successfully repatriated nearly 1,490 Nigerian citizens from South Africa due to escalating Afrophobic attacks and anti-foreigner sentiments in South Africa.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's administration remains steadfast in its commitment to ensuring the welfare and dignity of all Nigerians, both at home and abroad. The Ministry commended the sponsors' generosity and selflessness, encouraging other private sector organizations, corporate entities, state governments, and well-meaning Nigerians, both locally and in the diaspora, to follow suit.

The Nigerian government is eager to strengthen strategic partnerships with host nations, such as South Africa, to tackle the root causes of Afrophobia and prevent acts of violence and discrimination against Nigerians. The government emphasized the importance of holding perpetrators accountable for such acts of violence and discrimination.