{"id":297982,"date":"2026-06-05T17:01:13","date_gmt":"2026-06-05T15:01:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/nigeria-repatriating-over-1-000-nationals-from-south-africa-as-tensions-rise\/"},"modified":"2026-06-05T17:01:13","modified_gmt":"2026-06-05T15:01:13","slug":"nigeria-repatriating-over-1-000-nationals-from-south-africa-as-tensions-rise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/novanews.co.za\/kougaexpress\/nigeria-repatriating-over-1-000-nationals-from-south-africa-as-tensions-rise\/","title":{"rendered":"Nigeria repatriating over 1 000 nationals from South Africa as tensions rise"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

LAGOS, Nigeria<\/strong> \u2014 Nigeria said Friday it planned to repatriate more than 1 000 of its nationals from South Africa as anti-immigrant tensions rise in the country, long a destination for documented and undocumented African workers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The move by Abuja comes after Ghana recently repatriated hundreds of its citizens from South Africa in response to a wave of protests and violence targeting foreigners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Screening for Nigeria’s voluntary repatriation scheme started Thursday, foreign ministry spokesman Kimiebi Ebienfa told AFP on Friday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Total figure not out yet,” he said. “We are expecting over 1 000 persons.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a statement dated Tuesday, Nigeria’s High Commission in Pretoria said it had “negotiated waivers with host authorities” so that those with “immigration-related offences” would be allowed to leave on the eventual repatriation flights rather than be detained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

South Africa, until recently the continent’s most industrialised economy, has long attracted workers from across the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But saddled with an unemployment rate of over 30 percent, it has seen repeated spurts of xenophobic protests \u2014 including renewed violence in recent weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ<\/strong>: Foreign nationals flee South Africa as anti-immigrant violence claims lives<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The latest tensions have revived uncomfortable debates across Africa about xenophobia, migration and the gap between pan-African rhetoric and realities facing migration on the continent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An ultimatum by one citizen-led group for illegal migrants to be expelled by 30 June has raised fears of violence after bouts of anti-immigrant unrest in the past that claimed dozens of lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last month, Ghana repatriated some 300 people, the first batch of what authorities said was expected to be a total of about 800 Ghanaian nationals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The South African government has said it is stepping up enforcement against undocumented immigrants but urged citizens not to take matters into their own hands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ALSO READ<\/strong>: President to address nation on migration amid wave of xenophobic violence<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are more than 3 million foreigners living in South Africa, or 5.1 percent of the population, according to the statistics agency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More than 63 percent come from countries in the 16-member Southern African Development Community (SADC) bloc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Nigeria plans to repatriate over 1 000 nationals from South Africa amid rising anti-immigrant tensions and protests targeting 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