The Nigerian Union in South Africa has said many Nigerians cannot leave the country despite renewed xenophobic protests, citing decades of settlement, family ties and established businesses.
The President-General of the Nigerian Union in South Africa (NUSA), Smart Nwobi, said some Nigerians had lived in the country since before the end of apartheid, making relocation difficult for those whose livelihoods and families were rooted there.
Speaking against the backdrop of recent violence in Johannesburg and Durban, Nwobi stressed that the crisis affected migrants from across Africa, not just Nigerians.
Recent anti-immigration protests in Soweto, near Johannesburg, and Durban reportedly resulted in the burning of 24 vehicles and the looting of foreign-owned shops. South African police said 14 vehicles were set ablaze in Durban and 10 in Soweto, while three foreign nationals were arrested over an alleged assault on a protester in Durban.
The demonstrations followed public reactions to a Constitutional Court ruling that removed procedural obstacles preventing certain migrants who entered South Africa irregularly, lacked asylum transit visas or missed reporting deadlines from applying for asylum.
However, the South African government clarified that the ruling did not automatically grant refugee status or permanent residency, but allowed affected individuals to have their applications considered. It also acknowledged that refugee reception offices were struggling with the volume of applications.
Nwobi said arrangements were underway to assist Nigerians willing to return home, although the number seeking evacuation remained small compared with the wider Nigerian community in South Africa.
He disclosed that a flight carrying about 150 Nigerians departed on Friday, while between 1,500 and 2,000 others were awaiting departure. He added that the Redeemed Christian Church of God had pledged 500 flight tickets, with beneficiaries expected to travel in batches because of logistical and clearance requirements.
According to Nwobi, approximately 2,500 Nigerians had left South Africa through government evacuations and other initiatives, with the total number expected to reach about 5,000 when ongoing arrangements were completed.
The Federal Government, however, reported that 1,490 Nigerians had been evacuated under its official programme as of July 15, 2026. The Federal Ministry of Information said the figure covered five phases of voluntary evacuation conducted between June 10 and July 15 in partnership with Air Peace and South African Airways.
Meanwhile, the President of the Association of Yorubas in Diaspora in South Africa, Dr Olusola Agbeniyi, attributed the protests to a misunderstanding of the court ruling. He argued that Nigerians were not affected by the decision regarding asylum applications.
The President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in South Africa, Dr ABC Okokoh, described the situation as unfortunate, saying it reflected mounting frustration among sections of the South African population.
Xenophobic violence has repeatedly affected South Africa. Government figures indicate that 62 people, including 21 South Africans, died during the 2008 attacks, while Human Rights Watch reported that at least 12 people were killed in similar violence in 2019.
Anti-immigrant demonstrations also occurred in Johannesburg, Pretoria and Durban in April and May 2026, according to Human Rights Watch. The Nigerian government subsequently reported that two Nigerian nationals were killed in South Africa on June 28.
The latest unrest has renewed concerns about the safety of foreign nationals and prompted Nigeria and other African countries to intensify efforts to assist citizens who wish to return home.
