83 Nigerian Nationals to Arrive from South Africa on August 19

A new batch of 83 Nigerian nationals will arrive at Murtala Mohammed International Airport in Lagos on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, from South Africa via South African Airways. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that the returnees are expected to depart O.

R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg at 3:35 PM local time, arriving in Lagos at approximately 08:45 PM the same day. The repatriation is facilitated through the support of private individuals who sponsored the tickets, which the Federal Government acknowledges with gratitude.

This development follows a previous voluntary repatriation program that brought nearly 1,490 Nigerians back from South Africa due to increasing Afrophobic attacks and anti-foreigner sentiments. The Federal Government, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, remains committed to safeguarding the welfare of Nigerians both domestically and abroad.

The Ministry called on the private sector and other stakeholders to support similar initiatives and emphasized the need for strategic partnerships with host nations to combat Afrophobia.