Federal Government has commenced plans to repatriate more than 1,000 Nigerian citizens from South Africa amid growing concerns over rising anti-immigrant sentiments and renewed xenophobic tensions in the country.
Gatekeepers News reports that Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed on Friday that screening for a voluntary repatriation programme began on Thursday, with authorities expecting over 1,000 Nigerians to participate in the exercise.
Spokesperson for the ministry, Kimiebi Ebienfa, said the exact number of Nigerians seeking to return home had yet to be determined but noted that the figure was expected to exceed 1,000.
“Total figure not out yet,” he said. “We are expecting over 1,000 persons.”
The development comes amid growing concerns over protests and hostility directed at foreign nationals in South Africa, prompting several African countries to review the welfare of their citizens residing there.
The move follows a similar exercise by Ghana, which recently repatriated hundreds of its nationals from South Africa amid fears of escalating anti-immigrant violence.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, Nigeria’s High Commission in Pretoria disclosed that it had secured concessions from South African authorities to facilitate the return of affected citizens.
The mission said it had “negotiated waivers with host authorities” to enable Nigerians with “immigration-related offences” to leave the country on repatriation flights instead of facing detention.
South Africa has long been a major destination for migrants and job seekers from across Africa due to its relatively advanced economy. However, persistent economic challenges, including an unemployment rate exceeding 30 per cent, have contributed to recurring outbreaks of xenophobic protests and violence.
Recent tensions have reignited debates about migration, xenophobia and the challenges facing African integration despite long-standing pan-African ideals.
Concerns intensified following an ultimatum reportedly issued by a citizen-led group demanding that undocumented migrants leave the country by June 30, raising fears of a repeat of previous anti-immigrant attacks that claimed dozens of lives.
Last month, Ghana repatriated about 300 citizens in the first phase of a programme expected to bring home nearly 800 Ghanaian nationals.
While the South African government has pledged to intensify enforcement against undocumented immigrants, it has also urged citizens not to take the law into their own hands.
According to official statistics, more than three million foreign nationals reside in South Africa, accounting for approximately 5.1 per cent of the country’s population. Over 63 per cent of them are from countries within the 16-member Southern African Development Community (SADC) bloc.
