The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) has provided $265,854 to support the Federal Government’s efforts to bring distressed Nigerians home from South Africa following renewed xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks.
The Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the donation would cover 500 one-way air tickets for Nigerians who wish to leave South Africa and return to Nigeria.
In a statement issued on Friday by the ministry’s spokesperson, Oluwafemi Adeniyi, the government described the intervention by the church, led by Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye, as a major humanitarian gesture towards Nigerians affected by the situation.
The ministry said the donation reflected the church’s “compassion, solidarity and genuine commitment” to Nigerians facing difficulties in South Africa.
According to the ministry, the contribution also highlights the potential impact of partnerships between faith-based organisations and government institutions in responding to humanitarian challenges.
The government said it would work with the RCCG leadership in South Africa to ensure that the funds are deployed towards the evacuation of the 500 Nigerians.
The ongoing government-led evacuation exercise began on June 10, 2026, after a fresh outbreak of xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks targeting Africans and other foreign nationals in South Africa.
So far, 1,640 Nigerians have been repatriated, with the Federal Government funding the return of 1,385 people, the ministry said.
The remaining 255 returnees were evacuated with support from philanthropic donations, it added.
The ministry disclosed that another 202 Nigerians are currently undergoing final screening by South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs ahead of their evacuation.
It said Nigeria’s High Commission in Pretoria and Consulate General in Johannesburg were continuing to work with Nigerian community associations and other established channels to identify citizens who wanted to return home because of the attacks.
The Federal Government also said it was maintaining diplomatic engagement with South African authorities in an effort to tackle recurring incidents of xenophobia and Afrophobia involving Nigerians.
It reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the welfare of Nigerians living abroad, in line with the four-point foreign policy agenda of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The ministry further cited Tinubu’s intervention at the 21st Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the African Union in Luanda, Angola, on August 30, where it said the President raised concerns over recurring xenophobic and Afrophobic attacks in South Africa.
The government renewed its call for cooperation among public institutions, private organisations, philanthropists, faith-based groups and development partners, saying such partnerships could provide meaningful support to Nigerians facing hardship abroad.
The ministry expressed particular appreciation to the RCCG for its financial contribution to the evacuation programme.
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