By Staff Reporter
Nigeria has announced plans to repatriate more than 1,000 of its citizens from South Africa as concerns grow over escalating anti-immigrant sentiment and violence in the country.
According to Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, screening for a voluntary repatriation programme began on Thursday. The initiative is aimed at assisting Nigerian nationals who wish to return home amid increasing hostility towards foreign nationals.
In a communiqué issued on Tuesday, Nigeria’s High Commission in Pretoria revealed that it had successfully negotiated waivers with South African authorities to allow citizens facing immigration-related offences to depart through repatriation flights rather than face detention.
The development follows a similar move by Ghana, which recently facilitated the return of hundreds of its citizens from South Africa in response to growing protests and attacks targeting foreign nationals.
As one of Africa’s most industrialised economies, South Africa has historically attracted migrants seeking employment and better economic opportunities. However, with unemployment exceeding 30 percent, the country has witnessed recurring outbreaks of xenophobic violence and anti-immigrant demonstrations.
Recent tensions have reignited debate across the continent regarding migration, xenophobia, and the challenges of achieving African unity in practice despite longstanding pan-African ideals.
Fears of further unrest have intensified after a citizen-led group issued an ultimatum demanding the removal of undocumented migrants by June 30. Similar anti-immigrant violence in previous years resulted in dozens of deaths and widespread destruction of property.
The South African government has pledged to strengthen enforcement measures against undocumented immigration while urging citizens to refrain from taking the law into their own hands.
According to South Africa’s national statistics agency, more than three million foreign nationals reside in the country, representing approximately 5.1 percent of the population. Of these, over 63 percent originate from member states of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), highlighting the country’s continued role as a major destination for regional migration.
