By Chibuike Nkwede
The Federal Government has announced the evacuation of another 83 Nigerians from South Africa as concerns over anti-foreigner sentiments and xenophobic attacks continue to mount.
The returnees are expected to arrive at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, on Wednesday, August 19, 2026.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a statement, said the Nigerians would depart Oliver Tambo Airport, Johannesburg, aboard South African Airways at 3:35pm local time and arrive in Lagos at approximately 8:45pm.
According to the ministry, the latest evacuation was made possible through the intervention and sponsorship of flight tickets by public-spirited private individuals.
The government expressed appreciation to the sponsors, describing their intervention as a demonstration of public-private collaboration in responding to consular emergencies.
The latest evacuation comes after the Federal Government’s voluntary repatriation programme, which resulted in the return of nearly 1,490 Nigerians from South Africa amid growing concerns over Afrophobic attacks and anti-foreigner sentiments.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the Federal Government remained committed to protecting the welfare and dignity of Nigerians at home and abroad under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
It added that, through its Citizen Diplomacy agenda, Nigerians in the diaspora were regarded as important assets to national development and that the government would continue to prioritise their safety and well-being.
The ministry also appealed to the organised private sector, corporate organisations, state governments and other well-meaning Nigerians to support efforts aimed at assisting citizens affected by consular emergencies.
It said the government would continue to strengthen diplomatic engagements with South Africa and other host countries to address the root causes of Afrophobia, while working to prevent violence and discrimination against Nigerians.
The ministry further stressed that acts of violence and discrimination against Nigerians must be condemned and that perpetrators should be held accountable.
Meanwhile, South Africa’s anti-immigration group, March and March, has announced September 30 as a fresh deadline for undocumented foreigners to leave the country.
The group made the declaration during a protest in Durban on Tuesday, where it marched through parts of the city and called on African leaders attending the 46th Southern African Development Community Summit to take back citizens living in South Africa without valid documentation.
March and March had previously organised nationwide protests on June 30, demanding stricter measures against undocumented immigration.
The group said its campaign would continue until the South African government addressed its demands, including stronger enforcement of immigration laws.
It also called on South Africans to cooperate with law enforcement agencies in identifying undocumented migrants.
The 46th Ordinary SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government is being held in Durban and has brought together leaders from the regional bloc’s 16 member states.
The protest has renewed attention on South Africa’s handling of immigration and the treatment of foreign nationals, particularly amid concerns over xenophobic violence and discrimination.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has previously condemned attacks and discrimination against citizens of other African countries, expressing concern that some foreigners had been subjected to ill-treatment and forced to leave because of threats of violence.
Ramaphosa warned that South Africa could not advocate regional integration while allowing exclusion and hostility against other Africans on its streets.
The latest protest by March and March has intensified the immigration debate at a time when regional leaders are meeting to discuss cooperation and integration across Southern Africa.
With the September 30 deadline announced, concerns remain over the possible impact of further anti-immigration protests on foreign nationals, including Nigerians living and doing business in South Africa.