271 Nigerians Evacuated from South Africa Arrive in Lagos

On July 3, 2026, 271 Nigerians affected by the recent xenophobic protests in South Africa arrived at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos as part of an ongoing evacuation exercise. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through spokesperson Kimiebi Ebienfa, announced that this latest batch brings the total number of evacuated Nigerians to 593.

The evacuation flights began with the first batch of 258 evacuees arriving on June 11, 2026. Subsequent flights included 269 evacuees on June 24 and 30.

The Nigerian government has arranged three additional evacuation flights to bring home a total of 700 Nigerians who voluntarily registered for repatriation. The Ministry clarified that these special evacuation flights were fully funded by the federal government, dismissing claims that officials requested money from evacuees.

The ongoing unrest in South Africa, characterized by anti-immigrant protests, has raised concerns about the safety of Nigerians living there, prompting the government to prioritize their protection.