UPDATE ON EVACUATION OF NIGERIAN NATIONALS FROM SOUTH AFRICA

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, ABUJA

PRESS RELEASE

NO: MFA/PR/2026/264

UPDATE ON EVACUATION OF NIGERIAN NATIONALS FROM
SOUTH AFRICA

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to announce the arrival of another
batch of 105 distressed Nigerian nationals evacuated from South Africa
following Xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks against Africans in the
country.

The evacuation of this latest batch was 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) towards the evacuation of 500 distressed Nigerians from
South Africa.

With the arrival of this latest group, a total of 207 Nigerian nationals
have so far had their one-way tickets funded by RCCG. Of this number,
100 arrived Nigeria on 24 September 2026, while two (2) others arrived
on 25 September 2026, having been unable to travel with the first group
due to some administrative reasons. The latest batch of 105 arrived
Lagos aboard South African Airways (SAA) Flight SAQ60 on Friday, 2
October 2026, at approximately 20:30 hours.

The returnees, comprising 26 men, 29 women and 50 children were
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 agencies
of the Federal Government.

The latest batch constitutes the 14° consular evacuation from South
Africa since the commencement of the exercise on 10″ June, 2026,
bringing the total number of Nigerian nationals evacuated from the
country to 1,926. The Federal Government fully funded the evacuation
of 1388 of them.

The Federal Government appreciates the various groups, organisations
and individuals that have partnered with it in the ongoing evacuation
exercise. In particular, it expresses profound appreciation to the RCCG,
under the leadership of Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, for its
generous financial support towards the evacuation of distressed
Nigerians in South Africa.

The Nigeria High Commission in Pretoria and the Consulate General of
Nigeria in Johannesburg continue to engage with the leadership of the
RCCG in South Africa as well as other philanthropic organisations on
evacuation efforts. More Nigerians are currently undergoing the requisite
pre-evacuation verification and clearance processes with relevant
authorities in South Africa, and will be evacuated upon completion of the
processes.

The Federal Government remains unwavering in its commitment to
working with relevant South African authorities and other stakeholders
towards decisively addressing Xenophobic and Afrophobic violence, and
ensuring the safety, security and dignity of Nigerians resident in the
country.

The Federal Government once again urges Nigerians in South Africa to
remain vigilant, law-abiding, security conscious and to maintain regular
contact with the Nigeria High Commission in Pretoria and the Consulate
General of Nigeria in Johannesburg, for consular assistance whenever
required. The Government assures Nigerians in the diaspora that the
protection of their lives, rights, welfare, and dignity remains a priority,
and that it will continue to safeguard their interests and well-being and
provide timely assistance whenever circumstances warrant.

Signed:

Oluwafemi Adeniyi
Spokesperson
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abuja
Monday, 5 October 2026