The federal government has scheduled the final evacuation flight for stranded Nigerians in South Africa for next week, with about 300 citizens expected to return on the flight.

The development comes as another batch of 39 Nigerians is expected to arrive in Lagos on Friday night, bringing the total number of evacuees closer to 1,250.

Since the evacuation exercise began on June 11, 2026, the government has evacuated 1,141 Nigerians from South Africa. An additional 66 citizens were earlier brought home through the intervention of a private individual.

The evacuation followed distress calls from Nigerians stranded in South Africa amid nationwide protests by the March and March movement, which has been demanding the expulsion of foreign nationals, particularly Africans, from the country.

Providing an update on the exercise, the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, said the final evacuation flight is expected to return approximately 300 Nigerians to the country next week.

He added that the 39 evacuees due to arrive on Friday are those who could not be accommodated on previous evacuation flights.

According to Ebienfa, the additional flight was arranged to ensure there was no disruption to the government’s evacuation plan for Nigerians who completed their travel documentation within the stipulated deadline.

He said the evacuees departed Johannesburg aboard an Air Peace flight under emergency travel arrangements facilitated by the airline.

The flight is scheduled to arrive at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, at 8:50 p.m. on Friday, July 10.

The ministry commended Air Peace for its continued support of the evacuation exercise.

“We wish to convey our appreciation to the management of Air Peace for their collaboration and facilitation of this additional exercise,” Ebienfa said.

He added that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu remained committed to the welfare, protection and safe return of Nigerians affected by the ongoing xenophobic incidents in South Africa. (The Nation)

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