The Nigerian High Commission in South Africa has launched an online registration portal for Nigerians who want to return home voluntarily, signaling preparations for a second repatriation exercise.
In a memo issued on Tuesday, the mission said the portal will close on August 12. Officials cautioned, however, that registering does not automatically secure a seat on a return flight.
The announcement comes weeks after the federal government brought back 1,490 Nigerians in seven batches following a wave of xenophobic attacks. Five of those flights were funded by the government. Two other groups came back through emergency arrangements.
Alexander Ajayi, Nigeria’s acting high commissioner to South Africa, told TheCable on Wednesday that the commission is gathering data now so it can act quickly once partners agree to fund tickets.
“We are now at a crucial stage of mounting a whole of society approach to getting the remnants back home,” Ajayi said.
He explained that interest picked up again after the last evacuation ended, with more Nigerians coming forward to ask to return.
Tensions have not eased. After the previous exercise, the Nigerian consulate-general in Johannesburg reported the death of a Nigerian during a police operation in Cape Town, and the shooting and serious injury of another.
Nigeria has condemned the attacks and criticized South Africa’s response as inadequate. Together with Ghana, Nigeria is also pushing for “Afrophobia” to be included on the agenda of the next African Union summit.
