RCCG GIVES $265,854 TO SUPPORT RETURN OF NIGERIANS FLEEING SOUTH AFRICA

The Redeemed Christian Church of God has donated $265,854 to assist in bringing distressed Nigerians back home from South Africa amid renewed concerns over xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks in the country.

The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, expressed appreciation to the church for the financial intervention, saying the money would be used to purchase 500 one-way air tickets for Nigerians who wish to leave South Africa and return to Nigeria.

The donation was made under the leadership of RCCG General Overseer, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye. The Foreign Affairs Ministry described the gesture as a significant demonstration of compassion and solidarity with Nigerians facing difficult circumstances abroad.

According to the ministry, the intervention also highlights the potential impact of partnerships between faith-based organisations and government institutions in responding to humanitarian challenges. It said the funds would be deployed in coordination with the RCCG's leadership in South Africa to facilitate the planned evacuation.

The Federal Government began its current evacuation exercise on June 10, 2026, following a fresh wave of xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks targeting Africans and other foreign nationals in South Africa. The exercise was designed to assist Nigerians who felt unsafe or stranded and wanted to return to the country.

The ministry said 1,640 Nigerian nationals had been brought back to Nigeria under the ongoing exercise as of Friday. Of that number, the Federal Government financed the return of 1,385 people, while philanthropic contributions supported the evacuation of another 255 Nigerians.

The government added that 202 Nigerians were still awaiting final screening by South Africa's Department of Home Affairs before they could be evacuated. Nigeria's diplomatic missions in the country are continuing to work with Nigerian community associations and other established channels to identify and assist citizens who wish to return.

Nigeria's High Commission in Pretoria and Consulate General in Johannesburg have remained involved in the process, with officials continuing to engage Nigerians affected by the security situation. The government said it would also maintain discussions with South African authorities over the recurring problem of xenophobia and Afrophobia directed at Nigerians and other African nationals.

The Federal Government linked the evacuation programme to its broader responsibility to protect Nigerians living abroad under the foreign policy priorities of the President Bola Tinubu administration. It also pointed to President Tinubu's recent intervention at the 21st Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union in Luanda, Angola, where concerns over recurring xenophobic attacks in South Africa were raised.

The ministry said the President had called for urgent collective attention to the issue, stressing the need for African countries to address attacks against citizens of other African nations and strengthen mechanisms for protecting people living outside their home countries.

The latest RCCG donation is expected to provide additional support for Nigerians who have already expressed a desire to leave South Africa but require assistance with transportation costs. The ministry said the contribution would be particularly useful in helping the government complete the evacuation of vulnerable Nigerians who remain in the country.

The Federal Government also welcomed further contributions from private organisations, philanthropists, religious institutions, development partners and other stakeholders willing to support Nigerians facing difficult circumstances in the diaspora.

With the RCCG funding expected to cover 500 additional one-way tickets, authorities said the partnership would contribute to ongoing efforts to provide a safe route home for Nigerians affected by the latest wave of xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks in South Africa.