More than 700 Nigerians remain stranded in South Africa as delays in the Federal Government’s evacuation programme continue, despite growing fears over renewed xenophobic attacks and an approaching June 30 deadline set by anti-immigration groups.
Although President Bola Tinubu approved funding for additional evacuation flights after the first batch of Nigerians returned home earlier this month, administrative delays have reportedly prevented the release of funds to the designated airline, slowing the operation.
Officials familiar with the exercise said over 1,000 Nigerians registered for voluntary evacuation. So far, 324 have returned to Nigeria, including 258 who arrived on June 11 and another 66 who landed on June 24 through a privately funded arrangement.
Sources in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) and the Nigerian High Commission in South Africa said Air Peace has yet to resume evacuation flights because payment has not been confirmed.
Some Nigerians who had already been asked to prepare for departure were forced to remain at the Nigerian High Commission after a scheduled flight was cancelled, with the mission providing temporary shelter and basic support.
The delays come as anti-immigration groups in South Africa continue campaigns calling for foreign nationals to leave the country by June 30, raising concerns among Nigerians who remain in the country.
The President of the Nigerian Citizens Association in South Africa, Rev. Frank Onyekwelu, said more than 20 Nigerians have died since late 2025 in incidents linked to xenophobic violence. He said others have been assaulted, displaced or lost their businesses during the attacks.
The Federal Government has assured affected Nigerians that the evacuation exercise will resume once flight arrangements are finalised. The Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria said logistical issues that temporarily disrupted the operation had been resolved and urged those already screened to remain on standby for their travel dates.
The mission also appealed to South African authorities to ensure the safety of Nigerians before, during and after the June 30 deadline while advising citizens to remain calm and obey local laws.
