The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that a batch of 83 Nigerian nationals will arrive in Lagos on Wednesday, 19 August 2026, following private-sector interventions to facilitate their return from South Africa.
According to a press statement signed by Ministry Spokesperson Kimiebi Ebienfa, the returnees are scheduled to depart O.R. Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg aboard a South African Airways flight at 3:35 pm local time, arriving at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, at approximately 8:45 pm.
Public-Private Humanitarian Collaboration
The ministry highlighted that private donors and philanthropists funded flight tickets for this latest cohort following the conclusion of the Federal Government’s formal voluntary repatriation programme.
Key aspects of the repatriation effort include:
- Government Operations: Previous government-led repatriation exercises successfully evacuated nearly 1,490 Nigerian citizens from South Africa following heightened anti-foreigner sentiments and Afrophobic attacks.
- Citizen Diplomacy Framework: The Ministry reaffirmed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s commitment to prioritizing the protection of the diaspora under the administration’s “Citizen Diplomacy” agenda.
- Call for Broader Support: The Federal Government urged corporate entities, state governments, and organized private sector stakeholders to adopt similar collaborative frameworks to enhance national capacity for consular emergency response.
The Ministry added that diplomatic efforts remain ongoing with South African authorities to address underlying security concerns, prevent xenophobic violence, and ensure accountability for attacks targeted at Nigerian nationals and businesses.
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