Nigeria Seeks Compensation From South Africa Over Anti-illegal Immigrant Protests, SA Reacts
- Nigeria's Foreign Ministry has weighed in on the recent anti-illegal immigration marches in South Africa and the repatriation of its citizens
- Nigeria's Acting High Commissioner, Alexander Ajayi, noted that some citizens left assets behind when they left the country before the deadline
- Social media users weighed in on the situation, and the comments made by some Nigerians about the assets that they owned in South Africa
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Byron Pillay, a Briefly News journalist, has dedicated a decade to reporting on the South African political landscape, crime, and social issues. He worked as a newspaper journalist for 10 years before transitioning to online.
ABUJA - Nigeria has announced plans to seek financial compensation from South Africa for citizens who abandoned their livelihoods when they left the country.
More than 600 Nigerians have been repatriated or have fled South Africa following a wave of anti-illegal immigration protests in the country. March and March has been calling for undocumented foreigners to leave South Africa, giving them a deadline of 30 June 2026 to return to their own countries.
The governments of several African countries, including Zimbabwe, Malawi and Ghana, also arranged buses and flights so that their citizens could leave before the deadline.
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Nigeria to seek financial compensation
Speaking about the situation, Nigeria's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, confirmed to the BBC that the matter of compensation would be raised with Pretoria
He stressed that all claims would be verified before a formal request is submitted.
"We have not severed ties with South Africa; we are still engaging them at the highest level, and we will sort those details using our usual diplomatic channels," he said.
Acting High Commissioner to South Africa Alexander Ajayi said on local television on Tuesday, 30 June 2026, that Nigerian officials had already begun registering businesses, vehicles, and both movable and immovable properties left behind by departing nationals. He urged those who had left to document their losses "very accurately."
Source: Getty Images
Trader describes leaving everything behind
Among those awaiting repatriation is Oghodero Erejor Wilson, 32, who ran a clothing shop in Centurion, Gauteng, for several years. He told the BBC that he had closed his business and relocated to the vicinity of the Nigerian High Commission in Pretoria after fearing for his safety.
"I left everything in my house, including clothes," Wilson said, adding that he was losing "everything because of fear."
He estimated that the merchandise abandoned in his shop was valued at more than R16,000. He is scheduled to depart on a repatriation flight on Friday, 3 July 2026. Despite his losses, Wilson expressed scepticism about the prospect of receiving any redress.
"If the South African government can compensate it, it will be nice, but I know they won't," he said.
Social media users reacted sceptically to Nigeria's compensation push
Social media users weighed in on Nigeria's decision to seek compensation, sharing varied reactions to it.
@FULUFHELOR32 wrote:
"Then Nigeria must pay for all the Nigerians arrested in South Africa receiving free food and care in prisons."
@hunax_24607 claimed:
"Those people hijacked buildings in South Africa and will wake up in the morning to go hang around the sports betting shops; they had zero businesses here."
@chekgeri questioned the claims, writing:
"Properties while they can't even afford a flight home."
@Tumsa_Eksel added:
"They need to prove those properties left by asylum seekers."
@WilfredMxo claimed:
"They were illegally in this country, and they hijacked those properties. Nigerians love free things."
Repatriated Nigerians given financial stipends
Briefly News reported that repatriated Nigerians received immediate financial stipends alongside communications packages
The citizens received the gifts on Wednesday, 24 June 2026, when they touched down in Lagos after fleeing South Africa.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved the emergency intervention as part of the state’s commitment to protect citizens trapped abroad
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Source: Briefly News
