An Air Peace flight carrying about 269 repatriated Nigerians from Johannesburg landed at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos at 10:48 a.m. on Tuesday, June 30, 2026.
This arrival represents the second official government-organized repatriation flight, following an earlier evacuation on June 11 that brought 258 returnees, by Air Peace.
A separate group of 66 Nigerians also returned on June 24 on a flight reportedly organized with the assistance of a private benefactor.
Kimiebi Ebienfa, spokesman for the foreign ministry, said the June 24 trip was facilitated by “a good-spirited Nigerian.” Dipo Onabowale, head of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) in Lagos, identified the facilitator as Kunle Soname, chairman and CEO of ValueJet.
Officials from the Nigerian mission in South Africa escorted the latest group, and senior foreign ministry officials, led by Haruna Ali-Gombe, director of the African affairs department, received them at the Lagos airport.
The repatriations come amid warnings from South African rights groups that undocumented migrants should leave by June 30.
The foreign ministry says it has funded two official flights so far and has budgeted for five repatriation flights in total.
A statement issued by Ebienfa said the evacuation process is still on course and more flights are expected in the country in the next few days to evacuate all Nigerians that have been screened and cleared to voluntarily return to the country.
He said the federal government will continue to engage South African authorities at the highest levels to ensure the protection of Nigerian nationals living in the country.
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