By: Odeh Favour Adiya
The Federal Government has expressed its deep appreciation to the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) for donating $265,854 to support the evacuation of distressed Nigerians facing renewed xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks in South Africa.
According to a statement issued on Friday by the spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Oluwafemi Adeniyi, the generous donation from the church, led by Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, will fund 500 one-way tickets to bring home stranded citizens.
Describing the gesture, the ministry noted that the contribution was “a significant demonstration of RCCG’s compassion, solidarity and genuine commitment to providing succour to distressed and stranded Nigerians faced with the scourges of Xenophobia and Afrophobia in South Africa.”
“This gesture further demonstrates the impact that collaboration between faith-based organisations and public institutions can have in addressing social challenges and advancing the common good,” the statement added.
“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 government had commenced the ongoing evacuation exercise on June 10, 2026, following a fresh wave of violence targeting foreign nationals in South Africa.
So far, a total of 1,640 Nigerian nationals have been safely brought back home, with the Federal Government fully sponsoring the return of 1,385 citizens while philanthropic donations accounted for the remaining 255 repatriations.
Currently, about 202 Nigerians are undergoing final screening by South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs before their official airlift back to the country.
The Foreign Affairs Ministry confirmed that the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria and the Consulate General in Johannesburg remain open, actively engaging through Nigerian Community Associations to render assistance to all citizens seeking to return.
It reiterated that the government will sustain continuous diplomatic engagements with South African authorities to mitigate the “irritants of Xenophobia and Afrophobia against our citizens.”
The statement also recalled President Bola Tinubu’s unequivocal stance during the 21st Extraordinary Session of the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government held in Luanda, Angola, where he called for urgent collective attention across the continent to permanently address recurring anti-immigrant hostility.
The ministry reaffirmed that the government “remains resolutely committed to promoting the welfare and well-being of Nigerians in the Diaspora,” in alignment with the 4Ds foreign policy objectives of the present administration.
