FG to seek compensation from South Africa for Nigerians’ abandoned businesses

The Nigerian government says it will demand compensation from South Africa for businesses and properties abandoned by Nigerians fleeing xenophobic attacks, as the evacuation tally hits 603 following a third airlift.

The Federal Government isn’t done talking to South Africa. Beyond bringing its citizens home, Abuja now wants Pretoria to pay for what they left behind.

Acting Nigerian High Commissioner to South Africa, Temitope Ajayi, dropped the news on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, revealing that officials have already started documenting businesses and properties abandoned by returnees — records that will anchor upcoming compensation talks with South African authorities.

According to Vanguard, the disclosure came as 269 more Nigerians landed in Lagos on Tuesday, the third evacuation flight since the latest wave of anti-immigrant hostility flared up. That brings the total number evacuated so far to 603 — 268 flown in by Air Peace on June 11, 66 by ValueJet on July 25, and another 268 by Air Peace just a day earlier.

Ajayi said the compensation conversation is already underway at a high level. “In terms of the businesses, just three days ago, myself and the South African Deputy Minister of Finance were together and we were discussing this,” he said. “I took up the discussion with her and we have agreed that we are going to ask our people who are returning to begin to document what they are leaving behind, and that was the message yesterday (Monday, June 29) before this set that is due to land in Lagos.”

He added that returnees were specifically instructed to keep accurate records before boarding their flights home. “I have asked them before they left yesterday to document very accurately those things they were leaving behind in terms of businesses, in terms of even cars, movable and immovable properties. We can now take it up with the South African government. That is the next step we are going to take.”

Ajayi insisted the government’s job doesn’t end at the airport. “So, this repatriation will not end with just taking people to Nigeria; we are going to systematically follow up on the information given to us… because we will not allow the labour people have suffered to build over the years to just go down the drain or be taken over by people.”