Two hundred and two Nigerians awaiting final clearance in South Africa are among those caught in an ongoing evacuation process, as the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, has donated $265,854 to fund 500 one-way tickets for distressed Nigerians seeking to return home.
The Federal Government disclosed the donation on Friday through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which said the money would support Nigerians affected by xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks in South Africa.
The development comes after 1,640 Nigerian nationals had already been evacuated from South Africa since the Federal Government began the exercise on June 10, 2026.
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Of that number, the government fully sponsored the return of 1,385 Nigerians, leaving 255 whose evacuation was funded through philanthropic donations.
The new RCCG funding will provide money for 500 one-way tickets, creating capacity for more Nigerians to leave South Africa under the ongoing exercise.
Philanthropy fills funding gap
The figures show that private donations have already played a part in bringing Nigerians home.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the evacuation of the 255 Nigerians was sponsored through philanthropic donations. RCCG’s contribution is now set to provide tickets for another 500 return journeys.
The church, led by Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, made the donation as Nigerians continued seeking help to leave South Africa following attacks described by the ministry as xenophobic and Afrophobic.
The ministry called the donation “a significant demonstration of RCCG’s compassion, solidarity and genuine commitment to providing succour to distressed and stranded Nigerians.”
It also said the contribution showed the value of cooperation between faith-based organisations and public institutions in dealing with social challenges.
“We are grateful for this partnership and look forward to working with the church’s leadership in South Africa, as the generous donation is deployed to the evacuation of 500 distressed Nigerians,” the ministry stated.
The government began the evacuation on June 10 after a new wave of xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks on Africans and other nationals in South Africa.
202 Nigerians still await clearance
Although 1,640 Nigerians have returned home, the evacuation process is not yet complete.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said 202 Nigerians are currently awaiting final screening by South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs before they can be evacuated to Nigeria.
Nigeria’s High Commission in Pretoria and Consulate General in Johannesburg are continuing to reach Nigerians through Nigerian Community Associations and other established channels.
The ministry said the diplomatic missions are assisting Nigerians who want to return home because of xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks.
The Federal Government also said it would continue engaging South African authorities to address the “irritants of Xenophobia and Afrophobia against our citizens.”
The ministry said the government “remains resolutely committed to promoting the welfare and well-being of Nigerians in the Diaspora,” in line with the 4Ds foreign policy priorities of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
It also referred to Tinubu’s intervention at the 21st Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union in Luanda, Angola, on 30 August, 2026.
According to the ministry, the President was “unequivocal in expressing concern over recurring xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks in South Africa, and calling for urgent collective attention to address the situation.”
The ministry also maintained that it welcomed partnerships with private organisations, philanthropists, faith-based organisations inasmuch as such partnerships can drive meaningful impacts.
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