Displaced migrants shelter in a hall, following an escalation in anti-immigrant protests which heightened fears among foreign communities, in Kleinmond, South Africa, June 3, 2026. Image@ REUTERS/Esa Alexander
More than a thousand Nigerians have registered for voluntary repatriation from South Africa, a dramatic surge from the 130 who had initially sought to return home, as a joint screening process to determine who qualifies for flights gets under way.
Nigerian foreign ministry spokesperson Kimiebi Ebienfa said on Friday that 1,094 citizens had come forward, reflecting growing anxiety among Nigeria’s diaspora community in South Africa amid a fresh wave of anti-immigrant violence. In April and May 2026, a citizen-led movement called March and March, which advocates more stringent immigration enforcement, organised demonstrations against undocumented migrants in major cities including Pretoria, Johannesburg, and Durban, with violent and sometimes fatal results.
The screening, involving officials from both countries’ foreign ministries alongside South African immigration officers and police, began Thursday and is expected to conclude Saturday. Only those cleared through the process will be eligible for repatriation, with final passenger numbers and flight details to be confirmed afterwards, Ebienfa told reporters.
Nigerians with immigration violations such as visa overstays will not be left behind, after South African authorities agreed to waive penalties for such offences. However, those facing criminal charges will not be permitted to leave, Ebienfa said. Nigeria’s High Commission in Pretoria had earlier secured those waivers from South African authorities to facilitate the departure of Nigerians with immigration-related offences.
Nigeria’s repatriation follows that of Ghana, which was prioritised ahead of Abuja despite Nigeria submitting its clearance list first. Last month, Ghana repatriated some 300 people, the first batch of what authorities said was expected to total about 800 Ghanaian nationals. Ethiopia is next in line after Nigeria, with logistics to be finalised once screening wraps up.
Mozambique has already bused out 545 nationals and is prepared to evacuate more, while Malawi also announced plans to help its citizens leave South Africa. The exodus comes ahead of what Ebienfa described as an ominous deadline: anti-immigrant groups have given a June 30 deadline to undocumented foreigners to leave the country.
Nigeria has condemned the violence, including the deaths of two of its nationals allegedly assaulted by South African security personnel. Reports indicate four Ethiopian nationals have also been killed in recent weeks, while anti-immigrant groups have reportedly stopped people outside hospitals and schools demanding identification papers.
South Africa’s unemployment rate stands at over 43 percent, and deteriorating socioeconomic conditions have coincided with a rise in anti-immigrant activism and the formation of newer vigilante groups.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has acknowledged the violence but insisted that the attacks “do not represent the views of South Africa’s people nor reflect our government’s policy,” describing perpetrators as “opportunists exploiting the legitimate grievances of the poor.”
By Andrews Kwesi Yeboah