Abuja announced plans to repatriate over 1,000 Nigerian nationals from South Africa this Friday as intense anti-immigrant tensions continue to escalate.
The voluntary evacuation initiative follows a similar move by Ghana, which recently flew hundreds of its own citizens home.
Official registration and screening for the Nigerian repatriation flights began on Thursday under the direction of the foreign ministry.
Nigeria’s High Commission secured critical legal waivers from Pretoria, allowing undocumented migrants to depart safely without facing immediate local detention.
South Africa remains a major economic destination for regional labor, but a staggering 30 percent unemployment rate fuels deep domestic resentment.
A citizen-led ultimatum demanding the total expulsion of undocumented immigrants by June 30 has sparked widespread fear of impending violence.
Xenophobic protests have turned deadly in the past, prompting African leaders to question the reality of true pan-African solidarity.
South African authorities are actively increasing immigration enforcement while pleading with local citizens to completely avoid vigilante justice.
Statistics indicate that over three million foreign nationals reside in South Africa, representing roughly five percent of the total population.
Most immigrants originate from neighboring southern African nations, highlighting the complex economic interdependence and migration challenges across the continent.