More than 1,000 Nigerians residing in South Africa have indicated their willingness to voluntarily return home, according to the President of the Nigeria Union South Africa, Smart Nwobi.

Nwobi disclosed that the repatriation process is being coordinated through South African authorities, with many of the affected individuals seeking to return after becoming stranded or unable to regularise their immigration status.

He explained that a significant number of Nigerians had unsuccessfully applied for work permits, business permits and other residency documents, leaving them without legal status and vulnerable under South Africa’s immigration regulations.

According to him, many of those expressing interest in returning had been contemplating the move long before recent concerns over xenophobia and anti-immigrant sentiments in parts of the country.

Nwobi noted that several of the affected Nigerians had lived in South Africa for years but were unable to secure the documentation required to remain in the country legally.

He said the union had previously appealed to the Nigerian government to intervene on behalf of citizens who found themselves stranded after failed applications for residency and work-related permits.

The union leader further explained that South Africa’s immigration framework imposes strict penalties on individuals who overstay their visas or whose asylum applications have been rejected, often resulting in their classification as undocumented migrants.

He added that such individuals face legal challenges when attempting to exit the country through official channels, as they risk arrest for violating immigration laws.

Nwobi called for stronger cooperation between Nigerian and South African authorities to facilitate a safe, orderly and humane repatriation process for those willing to return.

He stressed that many of the Nigerians seeking voluntary repatriation were not involved in criminal activities but were individuals whose immigration applications had been unsuccessful and who now wished to restart their lives in Nigeria.

The union president also urged the Federal Government to establish support programmes for returnees, noting that many would require assistance with reintegration after spending several years abroad.

The development comes amid ongoing discussions about migration, immigration enforcement and the welfare of Nigerians living in South Africa, where concerns over documentation, residency status and periodic anti-immigrant tensions have continued to affect sections of the migrant community.