Another batch of 111 distressed Nigerian nationals arrived in Lagos from South Africa aboard South African Airways (SAA) Flight SA060 on Thursday, 8 October 2026 amid concerns over Xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks in the country.
Spokesperson to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Oluwafemi Adeniyi disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.
The group, comprising 44 men, 23 women and 44 children, was received upon arrival by the officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and other relevant Federal Government agencies.
The evacuation of this latest batch was fully funded from the Two Hundred and Sixty-Five Thousand, Eight Hundred and Fifty-Four US Dollars ($265,854.00) donation made by the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) to support the evacuation of 500 distressed Nigerians from South Africa.
The arrival of the returnees brings the total number of consular evacuations conducted from South Africa to fifteen (15) since the commencement of the ongoing evacuation exercise on 10th June, 2026. It also raises the cumulative number of Nigerian nationals evacuated from the country to 2,037, of whom 1388 had their repatriation cost fully covered by the Federal Government.
With the successful evacuation of this RCCG-funded batch, a total of 318 Nigerian nationals have had their one-way tickets funded by the Church. Therefore, 182 more nationals are expected to be repatriated under RCCG’s commitment to fund 500 one-way tickets.
“The Federal Government, once again, expresses its profound appreciation to the RCCG, under the leadership of Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, for its generous financial support towards the evacuation of distressed Nigerians from South Africa.
“The Federal Government remains committed to engaging relevant stakeholders, including authorities of South Africa, to address Xenophobia and Afrophobia in the country, and promote the welfare, safety and dignity of Nigerians residing there”, the statement said.
Nigerians in South Africa were advised to continue to comply with local laws, remain vigilant and prioritise safety. They were also encouraged to maintain contact with the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria and the Consulate General in Johannesburg for consular assistance whenever needed.
“The Federal Government remains steadfast in its commitment to providing timely consular support to Nigerians in the diaspora and safeguarding their welfare and well-being”, the statement concluded.
