By Miriam Humbe
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has successfully coordinated the reception of 1,516 vulnerable Nigerian nationals who voluntarily returned from the Republic of South Africa between 11th June and 15th July, 2026.
Manzo Ezekiel, NEMA’s Head of Press, Unit disclosed this in a statement signed on Friday.
The voluntary repatriation exercise was undertaken by the Federal Government through the coordinated efforts of NEMA, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI), the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Port Health Services, security agencies, and other relevant stakeholders, including support from MTN, to ensure the safe, orderly and dignified return of the affected Nigerians.
During the operation, the returnees arrived in seven batches through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, aboard Air Peace and South African Airways flights.
The first batch of 258 returnees arrived on 11th June, 2026, aboard Air Peace. This was followed by the second batch of 66 returnees on 24th June via South African Airways.
The third batch of 298 returnees arrived on 30th June, while the fourth batch of 266 returnees arrived on 3rd July aboard Air Peace.
The fifth batch of 284 returnees arrived on 9th July, followed by the sixth batch of 39 returnees on 10th July via South African Airways. The seventh and final batch, comprising 305 returnees, arrived on 15th July, 2026, bringing the total number of returnees to 1,516.
Throughout the exercise, NEMA played a leading operational role in coordinating the reception of the returnees and arrangements for their onward transportation to various destinations, alongside partner agencies.
The Agency commends all stakeholders whose collaboration contributed to the successful completion of the exercise.
NEMA’s Lagos Operations Office, led by the Head of Operations on behalf of the Director General, Mrs. Zubaida Umar, diligently carried out the Agency’s responsibilities throughout the exercise, ensuring the successful reception, processing, and onward movement of the returnees.
The Agency reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with all relevant stakeholders to continue providing coordinated humanitarian support during emergency evacuations, voluntary repatriation, and other humanitarian operations, in line with its statutory mandate of coordinating disaster management and humanitarian assistance in Nigeria.
