Nigeria is preparing to repatriate over 1,000 citizens from South Africa amid rising xenophobic tensions and renewed anti-immigrant unrest in the country.
Nigeria has announced plans to repatriate more than 1,000 of its nationals from South Africa as anti-immigrant tensions escalate in the country, which has long attracted both documented and undocumented African workers. The move follows similar actions by Ghana, which recently repatriated hundreds of its citizens amid protests and violence targeting foreigners. Screening for Nigeria’s voluntary repatriation programme began on Thursday, according to foreign ministry spokesman Kimiebi Ebienfa, who said: “Total figure not out yet,” adding, “We are expecting over a 1,000 persons.”
In a communique dated Tuesday, Nigeria’s High Commission in Pretoria said it had “negotiated waivers with host authorities” to allow individuals with “immigration-related offences” to leave on repatriation flights rather than face detention. South Africa, the continent’s most industrialised economy, continues to attract migrant workers but has also experienced repeated outbreaks of xenophobic protests linked to high unemployment, which stands at over 30 percent.
The latest wave of tensions has revived continental concerns over xenophobia and migration, as well as the gap between pan-African solidarity and ground realities. An ultimatum by a citizen-led group demanding the expulsion of undocumented migrants by June 30 has raised fears of further violence. While the South African government says it is intensifying enforcement against undocumented migration, it has urged citizens not to take the law into their own hands.
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