The Federal Government said it would again evacuates another 83 Nigerians from South Africa, with the returnees expected to arrive the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, tomorrow, August 19, 2026.
In a statement yesterday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the returnees would travel on South African Airways, departing the Oliver Tambo Airport in Johannesburg at 3:35pm local time and arriving in Lagos at approximately 8:45pm the same day.
The ministry said the latest batch was facilitated through the intervention and sponsorship of flight tickets by public-spirited private individuals, whose support it acknowledged with gratitude.
The development comes after conclusion of the Federal Government’s voluntary repatriation programme, which saw nearly 1,490 Nigerians repatriated from South Africa amid rising Afrophobic attacks and anti-foreigner sentiments in the country.
According to the ministry, the Federal Government remains committed to safeguarding the welfare and dignity of Nigerians at home and abroad under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
It said the government, through its Citizen Diplomacy agenda, considers Nigerians in the diaspora as critical assets for national development and remains committed to their protection and well-being. The ministry also commended private individuals and philanthropists who had supported the latest evacuation, describing their intervention as an example of the “whole of society approach” and public-private collaboration.
It called on the organised private sector, corporate organisations, state governments and other well-meaning Nigerians at home and abroad to emulate the initiative and support efforts to respond to consular emergencies.
The statement read: “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is pleased to announce that a new batch of 83 Nigerian nationals will arrive at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos on Wednesday, August 19, 2026 via South African Airways.
“They are expected to depart the Oliver Tambo Airport in Johannesburg at 3.35pm local time to arrive Lagos at approximately 08.45pm the same day.
“The Ministry wishes to note that this latest cohort of returnees is facilitated through the kind intervention and sponsorship of tickets by public-spirited private individuals, whose generosity the federal government acknowledges with profound gratitude.”
The ministry said further that the government would continue to deepen strategic partnerships with host countries, including South Africa, to address the root causes of Afrophobia and prevent violence and discrimination against Nigerians.
It added that such acts must be strongly condemned when they occur, with perpetrators held accountable.