Nigeria Evacuates Citizens from South Africa Amid Rising Xenophobia

Wed Jun 17 2026 08:06:15 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Nigeria has flown hundreds of its citizens back to Lagos after anti‑migrant violence surged in South Africa, amid fears of forced deportation.

In the wake of escalating xenophobic attacks and anti‑migrant sentiment, Nigeria repatriated 268 of its citizens who had flown from Johannesburg to Lagos, as the nation faces a looming immigration deadline. The Nigerian consulate reports that roughly 1,000 Nigerians registered for evacuation, following similar moves by Ghana, Zimbabwe and Malawi. Migrants like Justin, who has lived in South Africa since 1998, voiced safety concerns and reports of violent assaults, illustrating the harsh realities faced by Africans abroad. President Cyril Ramaphosa has now announced measures to crack down on illegal migration, including jailing employers of undocumented workers and establishing dedicated deportation courts. Despite the government’s push, critics argue that xenophobia and unemployment fuel the conflict, calling for broader systemic reforms rather than solely targeting foreign nationals.

The Nigerian consulate has just flown 268 of its citizens from a Johannesburg flight to Lagos, bringing them back to safety as anti‑migrant sentiment in South Africa intensifies. This is part of a larger repatriation effort—about 1,000 Nigerians have registered to leave the country ahead of a 30 June deadline set by migrant‑rights campaigners.

The move comes amid a surge of xenophobic violence in South Africa. Protest marches in cities like Johannesburg and Pretoria have turned violent, with migrants – many from Sub‑Saharan Africa – facing verbal abuse and physical attacks. Reports of a taxi assault left a Nigerian man named Justin, who arrived in Johannesburg in 1998, shaken enough to insist he must leave “before 30th June” out of fear for his safety.

African migration has been a flashpoint for decades, following the end of white‑minority rule in 1994. Over 30% unemployment and high pressure on public services such as schools and hospitals have led some mobs to scapegoat migrants as a cause for perceived societal woes.

Nigerian Consul General Ninikanwa Okey‑Uche has reaffirmed that migrants comprise less than 10% of South Africa’s population and have no bearing on systemic failures in healthcare, policing and governance. Nonetheless, a spokesperson for South Africa’s Border Management Agency warned that none of the passengers on the flights had proper documents, meaning many were undocumented, which could lead to longer harborage as visa processes stall.

The South African government has responded with new measures. President Cyril Ramaphosa’s televised address last Sunday introduced harsher penalties for employers hiring undocumented workers, dedicated deportation courts, and a biometric database to curb identity theft. He also urged citizens against vigilantism, stressing that people must not target suspected migrants on their own.

With local government elections slated for November, migration could become a key campaign issue, possibly polarized by radicalised groups that see foreigners as a threat or a scapegoat for social discontent. Meanwhile, the Nigerian outreach continues, as the consulate signals support for those repatriating while calling for more robust enforcement against xenophobic provocateurs.