The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has reiterated that all special evacuation flights arranged for Nigerians returning from South Africa are fully sponsored by the Federal Government, stressing that the exercise comes at no financial cost to the returnees.
According to the ministry, the initiative reflects the government’s commitment to safeguarding the welfare of its citizens abroad, particularly in times of crisis.It disclosed that the first batch of evacuees — 258 Nigerians — arrived at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos, on June 11, 2026, aboard a special flight operated by Air Peace. The returnees were formally received by the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Sola Enikanolaiye, on behalf of the Federal Government.
Following their arrival, the returnees were handed over to relevant Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) for documentation, profiling, and reintegration processes.
The ministry emphasized that subsequent evacuation flights will follow the same pattern, ensuring that Nigerians affected by socio-political challenges abroad are supported without financial burden, while reinforcing the government’s responsibility to protect its citizens globally.
It said it encountered some logistical delays in operating the second flight, and as a result, some of the affected nationals were “temporarily accommodated at the High Commission in Pretoria and cared for by the Mission”.
The ministry said that a good-spirited Nigerian voluntarily offered to pay the flight tickets for 66 of them, and they arrived in Lagos on June 24 with South African Airways.
The second evacuation flight arrived on Tuesday, 30th June 2026, with 269 returnees, and that makes up the cumulative figure of 593 returnees so far.
It had also disclosed that three additional flights would be operated in the next few days to ensure that all Nigerians who voluntarily registered to be evacuated and have been duly screened and cleared are brought back safely to the country.
“The expected number in that regard is 700 Nigerians. The third batch of the evacuation flights will arrive in Nigeria with 271 returnees on Friday, July 3, 2026. The expected time of arrival at the Murtala Mohamed International Airport, Lagos is 5.30am.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to place on record that all the special evacuation flights are fully paid for by the Federal Government and at no cost to the returnees,” it said in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa.
According to the ministry, the clarification was necessitated by insinuations and false allegations that some employees of the Nigerian Mission were requesting money before enlisting citizens for the evacuation flights.
“That is totally false, fake news, and should be discarded,” it stated.
The ministry, however, appreciated the coordination and collaboration with relevant MDAs in making the process a success.
“The evacuation process clearly underscores the priority accorded to the protection of Nigerian citizens overseas, which remains a central pillar of Nigeria’s foreign policy and a core responsibility of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“It also reflects the government’s determination to ensure that Nigerians affected by crises abroad receive the necessary support, dignity, and care. The lives of Nigerians living abroad matter, and we are trying our best as a ministry to give them a sense of belonging,” the statement added.
