The first 100 Nigerians supported through a humanitarian intervention by the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) have returned home from South Africa, following an initiative aimed at helping distressed Nigerians leave the country safely.
The returnees arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos on September 24 aboard a South African Airways flight from Johannesburg. They formed the first batch of about 500 Nigerians whose return journey is being funded by the church following concerns over the safety and circumstances of Nigerians seeking to leave South Africa.
The intervention was made possible through a $265,854 donation by RCCG to fund one-way tickets for 500 distressed Nigerians. The Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the contribution was being deployed in collaboration with Nigerian diplomatic authorities and other stakeholders involved in the evacuation process.
The latest returnees are part of a wider government-led evacuation exercise that began in June 2026 following reported xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks involving Nigerians and other African nationals in South Africa. With the latest arrival, the number of Nigerians returned to the country through the ongoing consular evacuation exercise has risen to 1,821.
The humanitarian response has involved cooperation between the church, Nigerian diplomatic authorities and government agencies including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, the National Emergency Management Agency and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons.
RCCG officials said the church’s intervention was intended to support Nigerians regardless of their religious affiliation. The first batch included adults and children, while additional returnees are expected to be brought home as documentation and clearance processes are completed.
For some of those returning, the journey home represents more than a change in location. Vanguard reported the experience of Chidi Francis, an Anambra State indigene who had spent eight years in Johannesburg running a grocery business before repeated attacks forced him to abandon the shop and eventually use up his savings. He was among those who returned in the first batch.
The Federal Government has acknowledged the role of philanthropic organisations and individuals in supporting the evacuation, describing the collaboration between public institutions and private organisations as important in responding to Nigerians facing distress and safety concerns abroad.
The RCCG has said further batches will follow as more Nigerians complete the necessary screening, documentation and clearance processes in South Africa.
The intervention highlights a broader dimension of humanitarian response: in situations where people are forced to leave their homes or places of residence because of insecurity or distress, support does not end with providing immediate relief. Safe transportation, reception, onward movement and eventual reintegration can be equally critical to helping people return with dignity.
