The Federal Government has commenced arrangements to evacuate its citizens from South Africa, with at least 130 individuals already registered for voluntary repatriation flights amid rising anti-foreigner tensions in the country.

The development follows renewed protests and incidents of xenophobic rhetoric in parts of South Africa, particularly in Pretoria and Johannesburg, where demonstrators have blamed undocumented migrants for economic hardship, unemployment, and insecurity.

In a statement shared on her X handle on Sunday, 3rd of May 2026, Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, noted that the safety of Nigerians abroad remains the government’s top priority.

The minister noted that anxiety had grown in recent weeks over anti-foreigner protests, some of which have targeted Nigerians in select cities.