Nigeria Evacuates 593 Nationals from South Africa Amid Crisis

The Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported the successful evacuation of 593 Nigerian nationals from South Africa due to ongoing xenophobic protests. The first batch of 258 evacuees arrived at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos on June 11, 2026, via a special flight operated by Air Peace.

The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Amb Sola Enikanolaiye, represented the federal government during the reception of the returnees. A second flight on June 30, 2026, brought back 269 more Nigerians, contributing to the total of 593 returnees.

The Ministry assured that three additional flights would operate in the coming days to accommodate more Nigerians wishing to return, with expectations of around 700 individuals being evacuated. The Ministry clarified that the special evacuation flights were fully funded by the federal government, dismissing any false allegations regarding requests for money from Nigerian mission staff.

The Ministry emphasized its commitment to protecting Nigerian citizens abroad as a central pillar of Nigeria's foreign policy.