RCCG Donates $265,854 to Evacuate 500 Nigerians from South Africa

The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) has donated $265,854 to support the evacuation of 500 distressed Nigerians from South Africa amid reported xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks against Africans in the country.

The Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs disclosed this on Saturday while announcing the arrival of another batch of 105 Nigerians evacuated from South Africa.

The returnees, comprising 82 adults and 23 children, arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, aboard South African Airways flight SA060 at about 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, September 24.

The ministry said the RCCG donation funded one-way tickets for 100 of the 105 returnees in the latest batch, while the remaining five were evacuated with support from a private Nigerian donor.

The latest evacuation brought to 1,821 the number of Nigerians returned from South Africa since the exercise began on June 10, 2026.

The Federal Government has fully funded the evacuation of 1,388 of the returnees, while philanthropic contributions have supported other evacuation efforts.

The ministry said Nigeria's diplomatic mission in South Africa was continuing discussions with the RCCG and other philanthropic organisations and individuals to facilitate the return of additional Nigerians in distress.

It added that some Nigerians were undergoing preliminary clearance with the Nigerian Consulate in Johannesburg and relevant South African authorities and would be evacuated after the necessary processes were completed.

The Federal Government expressed appreciation to the RCCG, led by Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, for supporting Nigerians seeking to return home because of distress and concerns over their safety.

The government also acknowledged other individuals and organisations contributing to the evacuation effort, saying cooperation between public institutions and private organisations remained important in addressing the situation.

It said it remained concerned about reported xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks against Nigerians and other Africans in South Africa and would continue diplomatic engagements with South African authorities to address the issue.

The ministry urged Nigerians living in South Africa to remain vigilant and law-abiding and maintain contact with the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria and the Consulate General in Johannesburg when consular assistance was required.