The Federal Government, in a message delivered by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has assured Nigerians living in South Africa that all citizens who have expressed interest in returning home due to ongoing xenophobic attacks in the country will be evacuated before the June 30 deadline.

The message was given via a press statement issued on Thursday and signed by the Special Assistant on Communication and New Media, Magnus Eze.

The minister affirmed the commitment of the Tinubu administration to the safety and welfare of Nigerians abroad and said that no citizen who has expressed interest in returning from South Africa will be left behind.

The evacuation, which is in its midway, began with the first batch of 258 Nigerians already airlifted from South Africa and received at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, on June 11 by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye, with over 742 Nigerians still expected to be evacuated in subsequent batches.
She disclosed that about 1,000 Nigerians had registered for evacuation, noting that arrangements were being concluded to bring home the remaining citizens before the deadline.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu said President Bola Tinubu had directed that Nigerians exposed to danger and harassment in South Africa who voluntarily opted to return be assisted without delay.

She raised concern over reports of discrimination and attacks against Nigerians and other African migrants, while noting that Nigeria was engaging South African authorities through diplomatic channels and exploring lawful options to address the situation.

“When it comes to situations like this, of course, it is necessary to be temperate and exercise caution. But when your citizens are being harassed… then it becomes a serious concern,” she said, noting that some affected Nigerians are married to South Africans with children born and raised there.

The minister also criticised what she described as the uneven treatment of Nigerians compared to South African businesses operating in Nigeria, citing major companies such as MTN, MultiChoice, Stanbic and Protea Hotels.

She further stated that the activities of anti-migrant vigilante groups have caused reputational damage to South Africa and undermined its global image as a post-apartheid symbol of pan-African unity.
Odumegwu-Ojukwu added that South African authorities had declined to activate a Memorandum of Understanding on an early warning mechanism signed with Nigeria in October 2025, which was intended to protect citizens during periods of tension, citing procedural issues.
She also noted that countries including Ghana, Malawi, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique had begun evacuating their nationals from South Africa over rising security concerns.