General News
Xenophobia: Nigerian Returnees from South Africa Recount Ordeal, Laud Air Peace, Others
When Air Peace announced early last week that it was willing to help bring back Nigerians who were caught in the middle of xenophobic attacks in South Africa, at least 600 people were said to have indicated their desire to return to their fatherland to start afresh.
Attention had been drawn to another round of xenophobic attacks on foreigners, particularly Nigerians and their places of business in the South, about two weeks ago when photos and videos of purported attacks were shared online, forcing the public to cry out to the Nigerian government for urgent action. The reports at the time had also sparked attacks on businesses in Nigeria believed to be owned by South Africans.
On the back of the outrage, Air Peace airline had offered a free service to fly distressed Nigerians back to their home country and that pledge was fulfilled days after.
On Thursday, it was confirmed that 187 Nigerians had returned to the country on Wednesday night and were received by authorities of Nigeria’s Diaspora Commission, the office of Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa.
Many of the returnees were grateful and expressed joy to be able to see the country they can proudly call home again, even if it means a fresh start for their lives.
At least 319 Nigerians are still expected to be evacuated from South Africa on Tuesday, according to the office of the minister of foreign affairs.
Those who have returned have now been able to reconnect with their families, but the ordeal in South Africa is not one they’ll forget in a hurry.
“It wasn’t a pretty experience. I have not had that much fear since I left Nigeria few years ago in search of better opportunities,” one of the returnees who sought anonymity, told Neusroom on Saturday afternoon.
But after reuniting with his family, the returnee says he now looks forward to building his life again.
“I now have to pick up the pieces and start all over again,” he says.
For many of the returnees, having to pick up the pieces and start all over after losing so much is daunting, and this was echoed by Segun, who tells Neusroom he was able to reunite with his family after benefiting from MTN’s donation of free data and cash sum to the returnees.
“It’s not easy at all, especially when you’re losing a lot of property to a place you can’t even get it back. Obviously, it’s painful and hurtful but you just have to move on and start over,” he adds.
Segun prays the government to further provide opportunities for not just the affected returnees, but for Nigerians as a whole.
“This is Lagos where you just have to keep your head up,” he says of his determination to get his life back on track.
Dabiri-Erewa has said that more Nigerians are expected to make the short trip back home in the coming days but like Segun, Benjamin is desperately hoping that President Buhari’s government has more plans to fully integrate the returnees into society by providing jobs that they can do to put food on their table.
Benjamin, who has now found home with his sister in Lagos, says but for the free flight back to Nigeria and cash reward, he is practically left with nothing.
“Before I left South Africa, my home was perfect. Now that I’m here, everything is bad. Very bad. I don’t think I can cope, I can’t. It’s just too bad. I can’t go back to South Africa now, it’s the way forward I’m looking for,” he laments.
Though many of these returnees have been left to rue their luck and count their losses, many others are just grateful to have returned alive. To this set, there’s no better time to hold on firmly to the cliche saying, ‘when there’s life, there’s hope’.
“We just thank God,” another returnee, a woman who pleaded anonymity, says of her belief to bounce back.
Nigeria’s minister of foreign affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama had said over a week ago that the government has made its demands clear to the South African government on its expectations on compensation for affected persons, and the returnees would hope that these demands are met in no time.
“We have registered our strong protest to the government of South Africa. But most importantly, we have put forward to the South African government what we think will make a big difference: one with regard to compensation with those who have suffered loss and most importantly, a security proposal that we believe will safeguard the security of Nigerians in the future,” Onyeama said.
While the government works to resolve the issues with the South African government, authorities have advised Nigerians to refrain from attacking the purported South African-owned businesses in the country, as the livelihoods of thousands of citizens are dependent on their employment at those companies.
Police in Abuja have uncovered a criminal group making fake diplomatic and government number plates.
Ahmed Sanusi, commissioner of Police FCT, stated this during a press briefing on Friday.
He explained that criminals use these fake plates to dodge security checks and enter restricted areas.
The investigation started soon after Sanusi took office.
He noticed too many unauthorized cars driving around with official government and diplomatic tags.
“I immediately ordered a comprehensive investigation into this disturbing trend,” Sanusi said. He noted that these individuals use the plates as a cover to commit crimes and avoid arrest.
The police have already arrested several people caught using the fake plates.
They have also figured out who is making them.
The manufacturers operate outside Abuja, and police are actively hunting them down.
Sanusi kept their names secret so they would not flee.
He stressed that this is a highly profitable illegal business.
Buyers pay between N500,000 and N1.7 million for a single fake plate.
“This will tell you that they are making such huge expenditure because they have an agenda,” Sanusi explained.
“Now they will face punishment that is bigger than both the cost they incur and the agenda they are planning.”
The commissioner urged residents to report any cars with suspicious diplomatic plates.
He reminded the public that real diplomatic tags follow a very specific format.
A diplomatic number plate in Nigeria is a special vehicle identification tag issued to foreign embassies, high commissions, and accredited international diplomats.
Gavi has approved $500 million to strengthen Nigeria’s immunisation programme, primary healthcare services and long-term vaccine financing.
The move followed high-level discussions between Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, coordinating minister of Health and Social Welfare, ]and Dr. Sania Nishtar, chief executive officer, Gavi in Abuja.
The funding, approved under the Gavi 6.0 programme, will support Nigeria’s efforts to accelerate routine immunisation, sustain polio eradication, expand HPV vaccination, strengthen primary healthcare services, and improve long-term vaccine financing.
Speaking during the meeting, Pate said Nigeria was strengthening its partnership with Gavi to accelerate immunisation, expand primary healthcare services, and ensure sustainable financing for vaccines.
He welcomed Gavi’s country-focused reforms, including the introduction of a predictable five-year funding envelope.
Pate said the US$500 million allocation will enable Nigeria to plan more effectively and deliver life-saving vaccines to more children and vulnerable populations.
The minister also revealed that quarterly visits to primary healthcare centreshad increased from about 10 million in 2023 to more than 45 million, reflecting significant progress in revitalising the country’s primary healthcare system.
Pate welcomed the announcement of a US$600 million pledge by the United States government to Gavi, describing it as a strong endorsement of the alliance’s leadership and the global value of vaccines.
He also commended Nishtar for prioritising Nigeria and praised the closer coordination among Gavi, World Health Organisation (WHO), UNICEF, World Bank, Gates Foundation, and other development partners, describing it as a model that has improved efficiency and aligned support with Nigeria’s health sector reforms.
The minister expressed appreciation to Gavi and its partners for their continued technical and financial support, while calling on state governments to invest more in healthcare and immunisation to complement federal efforts.
For many women, financial independence means the freedom to provide for their families and build a better future. Yet, this remains out of reach due to limited access to opportunities, business support, and secure payment solutions.
Like millions of women in Nigeria determined to be financially independent, Pricillia started with a single PalmPay POS terminal, and as an agent, every successful transaction provided a commission which brought her one step closer to achieving her dream.
Through consistency, discipline, and support from the payment platform, she reinvested her earnings and eventually opened her own provision store.
“I started as just a PalmPay agent with one POS. The consistency of the platform gave me the confidence to expand. With the income I earned, I was able to open my own provision shop.” Priscilla said.
For Priscilla, PalmPay was more than a payment platform. Its secure payment infrastructure gave her the confidence to serve her customers, build trust, and grow her income.
Today, Pricillia has joined the statistics of SMEs powering Nigeria’s economy and PalmPay continues to support her daily operations, helping her receive payments, as she works towards her next business milestone. Her journey is a reminder that when women have access to secure financial tools and opportunities, they can build lasting economic independence.
Speaking on Pricillia’s journey, Femi Hanson, Head of Marketing, PalmPay said: “Providing a secure platform that users can trust, whether for everyday payments or high-value transactions, is central to our vision of advancing financial inclusion. Priscilla’s story reflects our commitment to supporting the ambitions of Nigerians by providing a platform they can rely on to grow their finances. After all, seamless banking begins with security, and every successful transaction reinforces the trust our users place in us.”
Priscilla stands among thousands of PalmPay agents nationwide who are helping to expand financial access across Nigeria while earning commissions to create sustainable sources of income for themselves.
Every payment tells a story. It begins with trust, the confidence that your money is secure and that financial services are accessible. And when that opportunity reaches women, it creates ripple effects that transform families, strengthen communities, and drive economic growth.
Police Uncover Fake Diplomatic Number Plate Syndicate in Abuja
Davido Shares Past Suicidal Thoughts, Drops Oriadé Album
Gavi Okays $500m for Vaccines, PHCs in Nigeria
82% of Organizations Concerned about AI Risks Even as Adoption Accelerates – Survey Reveals
The Journey to Financial Freedom: Priscilla, a PalmPay Agent Now Owns a Store
NRC, Ponzi Scheme Collapses Resulting Loss of Billions of Naira
EFCC Busts NIS Visa Overstay Racket, Uncovers N700m in an Account
From Scarcity to Scale: What Africa Can Learn from India’s Agricultural Transformation
Tokenization, Blockchain Technology will Transform Financial Institutions – IMF
BON Establishes Six Ad Hoc Committees to Modernize Broadcasting
E-Financial3 days agoAccess Bank Debunks Shutdown Report, Vows Action against Perpetrators
E-Business3 days agoKaspersky Uncovers Cyber Threats Defining the First Half of 2026 in Nigeria, Others
General News3 days agoMENXTT TECH NG Offers Affordable Dell Laptops with Flexible Payment Plans
Telecom3 days agoATU Summit Ends in Abuja with Landmark Declaration to Eradicate Continental Digital Divide
Telecom3 days agoHon. Minister Dr. Kingsley T. Udeh and ASUS To Unveil First of a Kind Flagship Store in West Africa
E-Financial3 days ago$40Bn Net Reserves, Record Wealth, Relentless Poverty: Who Is Nigeria’s Economy Serving Today?
General News3 days agoEFCC Arraigns 4 over Alleged $5.3m Fraud Scheme
E-Business2 days agoHow Temu Helped a Madagascan Vanilla Family Business Sell Direct to Consumers Across Europe