The Federal Government is set to airlift 270 Nigerians from South Africa in the latest wave of repatriation amid simmering xenophobic tensions.
The evacuees are scheduled to land at Lagos’ Murtala Muhammed International Airport in the early hours of Wednesday aboard an Air Peace aircraft, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed Monday.
The flight departs Lagos for Johannesburg at 3:30 PM on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, and will return with returnees at midnight, arriving Lagos by 5:00 AM Wednesday.
This marks another coordinated government effort, through the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria, to assist citizens facing growing challenges in South Africa fueled by anti-immigrant sentiments and fresh protests that have triggered diplomatic concerns.
Air Peace, a key partner in previous government-assisted evacuations from conflict and crisis zones, continues to play a central role in the mission.
The development follows widespread reports of Nigerians storming the embassy in Pretoria as tensions spiked, and comes just weeks after 269 citizens were evacuated in a similar exercise.
While reaffirming the safety of Nigerians still in South Africa, authorities insist the voluntary return program remains open to those choosing to come back home.
