First group of Nigerian nationals repatriated amid rising tensions in SA

The first group of Nigerian nationals is expected to arrive in Lagos on Thursday morning as repatriation efforts gain momentum.

Nigerian officials say they have received more than 1,000 requests for assistance from citizens currently living in South Africa who wish to return home.

The evacuation comes as anti-illegal immigration groups continue to intensify pressure on undocumented foreign nationals to leave the country before 30 June.

Organisations including March and March, Operation Dudula and AmaBhinca Nation, have ramped up calls for undocumented migrants to return to their countries of origin, arguing that South Africans are being sidelined in access to jobs, healthcare and other public services.

In a statement, Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the repatriation will be fully funded by the government, with no cost to those returning home.

“The Federal Government of Nigeria has fully funded the evacuation exercise; consequently, all affected Nigerians will be repatriated at no cost to them,” the ministry said.

The Ministry added that returning nationals will undergo documentation and profiling on arrival, with plans for more evacuation flights planned for those still seeking to leave South Africa.

pic.twitter.com/5mfeuzQH5h

— Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nigeria 🇳🇬 (@NigeriaMFA) June 9, 2026

The development forms part of a broader wave of repatriation efforts across the continent.

In Durban, more than 1,000 Malawian nationals gathered outside Sherwood Hall on Wednesday as they waited to be processed by Home Affairs officials and issued with emergency travel documents.

The group is expected to leave South Africa by bus within the next few days, citing fears of rising hostility and harassment directed at foreign nationals.

Community leader, Ahmad Ali, said discussions were underway with Malawian authorities to expedite the process.

“We are engaging with the Ministry and the High Commissioner to ensure buses arrive as quickly as possible so that our people can return home safely,” said Ali.

The latest departures follow the repatriation of 150 Malawian nationals over the weekend, with some saying they feared becoming targets of xenophobic attacks amid rising anti-immigration sentiment.

Malawi Government’s efforts of repatriating its citizens continue in South Africa. Pictures below show Malawian nationals in Lindera, South Africa, undergoing immigration procedures in readiness for repatriation.

Two buses already arrived in Blantyre on Tuesday. pic.twitter.com/WCP9tW06iH

— Malawi Government🇲🇼 (@MalawiGovt) June 9, 2026

With the June 30 deadline fast approaching, concerns are mounting over potential escalation between anti-immigration groups and undocumented migrants.

In his address to the nation on Sunday, President Cyril Ramaphosa stressed that South Africans are not xenophobic and warned citizens against acts of vigilantism or xenophobic attacks.

“We know that South Africans are not xenophobic, as there is no space for xenophobia, racism, sexism, afrophobia or any other form of intolerance in South Africa,” Ramaphosa said.