65 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗦𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮 𝗪𝗲𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆 — 𝗙𝗚

Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu

Another batch of 65 Nigerian nationals is returning home from South Africa today, Wednesday, August 26, 2026, amid ongoing concerns over anti-foreigner attacks, discrimination, and rising hospitality issues targeting migrants.

According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through its official communication channels, the logistics for the voluntary repatriation are arranged as follows:

Departure Location: O.R. Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg.

Departure Time: 3:30 PM local South African time.

Airline: South African Airways.

Arrival Location: Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

Arrival Time: Expected at approximately 8:45 PM Nigerian time. 

Private Sponsorship: The flight tickets and evacuation process for this specific batch are entirely funded through the financial interventions of public-spirited private individuals, rather than direct state funding.

Preceding Evacuations: This latest group follows a separate repatriation phase just one week prior on August 19, 2026, which successfully brought home 83 Nigerians (58 adults and 25 children).

Broader Framework: This development forms part of an expansive voluntary evacuation program under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's Citizen Diplomacy agenda, which has already overseen the return of over 1,500 individuals.

State Support Initiatives: In response to the federal government's call to help integrate the returnees, several Nigerian states have rolled out financial aid. For instance, both the Imo and Abia state governments have approved resettlement disbursements of ₦1 million each for verified returning indigenes from their respective extractions.

Upon landing in Lagos, the 65 returnees will undergo mandatory profiling, documentation, and medical checkups by relevant government border and diaspora agencies before being safely reunited with their families.

By Olagunju, Success Taiwo

83 Nigerians in South Africa repatriated by private individuals

A fresh batch of 83 Nigerian nationals stranded in South Africa will arrive in Lagos on Wednesday, 19 August 2026, following a voluntary repatriation funded entirely by private individuals and philanthropists.

Public-spirited private donors stepped in to fund the air tickets, illustrating a public-private partnership to resolve a consular crisis.

The returnees are flying on South African Airways, departing OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg at 3:35 p.m. local time, and landing at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos at approximately 8:45 p.m. the same day.

The move follows a surge in Afrophobic sentiment, intimidation, and anti-foreigner protests in South Africa, including upcoming mass demonstration deadlines set by local anti-immigration groups.

This private intervention comes just after the conclusion of the Nigerian Federal Government's official voluntary repatriation programme, which previously brought back nearly 1,490 Nigerians from South Africa.

Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, confirmed that the government will continue high-level diplomatic engagements with South African authorities to address the root causes of Afrophobia and ensure the long-term safety of Nigerian citizens who choose to remain. Additionally, other regional nations like Ghana, Malawi, and Mozambique have similarly evacuated parts of their citizen populations in recent weeks.

By Olagunju, Success Taiwo

Onoh rejects S/Africa’s $18.5m repatriation bill, demands compensation

Former Southeast spokesman to President Bola Tinubu and Chairman of the Forum of Former Members of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Denge Josef Onoh, has rejected South Africa’s demand for $18.5 million in repatriation costs for Nigerian nationals, describing the bill as an “illegal levy”.

Onoh, in a statement made available to journalists in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, said Nigeria, as a sovereign nation, could not be compelled to reimburse expenses incurred by the South African government over its immigration crackdown.

His reaction followed reports that South Africa had written to Nigeria, Malawi and Ethiopia seeking reimbursement for expenses incurred in accommodating, transporting and repatriating tens of thousands of foreign nationals amid a recent immigration crackdown and renewed anti-immigrant tensions.

By Segun Adewole

Full story at The Nigerian Guardian

UNFPA Appoints Botlhale Boikanyo as Regional ICPD Youth Champion for East and Southern Africa

Johannesburg, August 2026 – The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) East and Southern Africa Regional Office is pleased to announce the appointment of Ms. Botlhale Boikanyo as its new Regional International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Youth Champion.

 

Botlhale Boikanyo is an award-winning South African poet, actress, speaker, and youth advocate whose journey from becoming the first poet and youngest winner of South Africa's Got Talent at the age of 11 has evolved into a powerful platform for youth empowerment and social change. As the founder of the Botlhale Boikanyo Foundation, she has dedicated her work to amplifying young voices, championing education and self-expression, and inspiring a new generation of African changemakers through the power of storytelling. Through her advocacy and leadership, she has inspired young people to use their voices and engage in shaping policies and solutions that affect their lives and futures.

 

As Regional ICPD Youth Champion, Botlhale will work alongside UNFPA to amplify the voices of young people across East and Southern Africa and advocate for accelerated action towards achieving the commitments of the ICPD Programme of Action. She will support efforts to advance bodily autonomy, gender equality, access to quality sexual and reproductive health services, and meaningful youth participation in decision-making processes.

 

For UNFPA,  young people are not just the leaders of tomorrow; they are the leaders of today. Putting young people at front and centre of sustainable development is both urgent and non-negotiable. Their voices, experiences, and innovations are essential in building the Africa we want.

 

Speaking on her appointment, Botlhale Boikanyo said:

 

“My hope and dream is to live in a world where every young person, especially women and girls, has the freedom and opportunities to shape their own future and is included in the rooms where decisions about their lives are made. Being a UNFPA Champion is another step towards turning that vision into reality. It is an opportunity to amplify the voices of young people through storytelling across our region, and advocate for investments that uphold the rights, dignity, well-being and potential of every young person everywhere.”

 

The appointment comes at a critical moment for the region, where young people in Africa constitute a significant share of the global youth population of 1.9 billion and are leading transformative efforts in their communities. Yet many continue to face barriers to education, healthcare, employment, and opportunities to meaningfully participate in decisions that affect their lives. She believes that storytelling is a catalyst for social change and that young people must not only be heard, but meaningfully included in shaping the decisions that affect their lives and futures.

 

As Regional ICPD Youth Champion, Botlhale will use her energetic presence and platform to engage with young people, policymakers, civil society, and development partners to advocate for investments and policies that uphold the rights, dignity, and potential of every young person.

 

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