Nigeria to Repatriate Over 1,000 Citizens from South Africa Amid Rising Anti-Immigrant Sentiment

The Nigerian government has commenced plans to bring back more than 1,000 of its citizens from South Africa, following a surge in anti-immigrant tensions in the continent’s most industrialised economy.

A voluntary repatriation scheme began screening on Thursday, according to a spokesperson for Nigeria’s foreign ministry. While the exact number of registrants is still being compiled, officials confirmed they expect over a thousand nationals to return home.

In a communique issued earlier this week, Nigeria’s High Commission in Pretoria stated that it had secured waivers from host authorities, allowing individuals with immigration-related offences to depart on repatriation flights without facing detention.

South Africa, which has long attracted workers from across the region, is grappling with an unemployment rate exceeding 30%. The country has witnessed repeated waves of xenophobic protests, including renewed unrest in recent weeks.

Tensions have been further stoked by an ultimatum from a citizen-led group demanding the expulsion of all illegal migrants by the end of June. Past bouts of anti-immigrant violence in South Africa have claimed dozens of lives.

In response, the South African government has said it is ramping up enforcement against undocumented foreigners while urging citizens not to take the law into their own hands.

Official statistics show that more than three million foreign nationals live in South Africa, representing about 5% of the population. Over 63% of them originate from countries within the Southern African Development Community.