Nigeria to Seek Compensation for Businesses and Properties Abandoned by Citizens Returning from South Africa

The Federal Government has announced plans to pursue compensation for businesses, vehicles and other properties abandoned by Nigerians who are voluntarily returning from South Africa amid rising concerns over anti-immigrant protests.

Nigeria’s Acting High Commissioner to South Africa, Alexander Ajayi, disclosed the development during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, revealing that the government has begun documenting assets left behind by returning citizens as part of a coordinated effort to seek possible compensation from the South African government.

According to Ajayi, the repatriation exercise goes beyond bringing Nigerians safely back home. He explained that the Federal Government is committed to protecting the investments and livelihoods of citizens who spent years building businesses in South Africa before deciding to return due to growing security concerns.

He said Nigerians participating in the voluntary evacuation programme have been instructed to provide detailed records of the businesses, vehicles, shops and other movable and immovable properties they are leaving behind. The information, he noted, will form the basis of discussions with South African authorities as Nigeria seeks appropriate compensation for affected individuals.

Ajayi disclosed that the issue has already been raised with South Africa’s Deputy Minister of Finance, adding that both sides have agreed on the need to properly document the abandoned assets before any formal claims are presented.

According to the envoy, the Federal Government intends to verify the reported properties with the assistance of South African authorities to ensure that every legitimate investment is accounted for. He stressed that the government would not allow the years of hard work and financial commitment made by Nigerians abroad to be lost without pursuing available legal and diplomatic channels.

The Acting High Commissioner also rejected claims that a large number of Nigerians living in South Africa are undocumented migrants. He explained that many of those affected entered the country legally but became caught in prolonged delays at South Africa’s Department of Home Affairs while attempting to renew their immigration documents.

Ajayi said the backlog in processing applications has affected not only Nigerians but citizens of other countries as well, making it inaccurate to classify many of the affected migrants as undocumented. According to him, several Nigerians have had their renewal applications pending for years despite initially entering South Africa through legal immigration processes.

The latest evacuation exercise comes as anti-immigration groups prepare to stage demonstrations in South Africa, prompting the Nigerian government to intensify efforts to assist citizens who have chosen to return home voluntarily. An Air Peace aircraft dispatched by the Federal Government departed Nigeria to evacuate another batch of returnees, who were expected to arrive in Lagos as part of the ongoing operation.

The issue has also attracted calls from former Nigerian Ambassador to Switzerland, Joseph Ayalogu, who urged Nigeria and other African nations to demand compensation for victims of xenophobic attacks and the destruction of foreign-owned businesses in South Africa.

Speaking on the same television programme, Ayalogu condemned the repeated targeting of businesses owned by foreign nationals, describing the situation as deeply unfortunate. He argued that individuals who have lost their investments and means of livelihood deserve compensation and called on the South African government to strengthen the enforcement of its laws to protect all residents, regardless of nationality.

He further urged African governments to adopt a stronger diplomatic approach in engaging South Africa on the recurring incidents of xenophobic violence, expressing dissatisfaction with what he described as the country’s response to repeated attacks against foreign nationals.

The Federal Government’s decision to pursue compensation marks a significant diplomatic step as it seeks to protect the interests of Nigerians abroad while ensuring that citizens forced to abandon years of investment are not left without support. As the evacuation programme continues, attention is expected to shift toward negotiations between both governments over the fate of businesses and properties left behind by returning Nigerians.