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Nigerians in South Africa have been urged to remain vigilant and stay safe ahead of anti-foreigner protests scheduled for May 4, 2026.
The head of the Consulate General of Nigeria in Johannesburg, Ninikanwa Okey-Uche, in a statement, revealed that anti-foreigner movements have circulated invitations urging all South Africans to participate in a nationwide rally across all nine provinces to prompt the government to take action against foreigners in the country.
Okey-Uche advised Nigerians in South Africa to avoid confrontations during the protests and monitor local media for updates.
“All Nigerian nationals are strongly advised to avoid engaging any demonstrators or confronting them,” the notice stated, adding that citizens should “monitor local media, as well as adopt necessary safety precautions,” the statement read.
“Nigerian business owners are also advised to consider closing their shops/businesses during the duration of the march, as there are no guarantees that the protests will be peaceful, and foreign-owned businesses are expected to become soft targets for the demonstrators,” the statement said.
In a separate statement, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, said the ministry has summoned South Africa’s High Commissioner to Nigeria over the situation, while President Bola Tinubu ordered close monitoring.
SOUTH AFRICA PROTESTS: SITUATION REPORT.
There is heightened anxiety over the series of anti-foreigner protests, also targeted at Nigerians in select cities in the republic of South Africa in recent weeks. The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has expressed grave… pic.twitter.com/QYoFvE7KBT— Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu (@Ojukwu_Bianca) May 3, 2026
The minister added that efforts to repatriate Nigerians in South Africa are ongoing.
“Consequently, arrangements are currently underway to collate details of Nigerians in South Africa for voluntary repatriation flights for those seeking assistance to return home,” said Odumegwu-Ojukwu.
“So far, 130 applicants have duly registered for the exercise with our mission in S.A, but this figure is expected to rise. Nigerian associations in South Africa are also assisting our mission in this regard.”
