Anti-immigration: Nigeria repatriating over 1,000 nationals from South Africa

Nigeria said on Friday it planned to repatriate more than 1,000 of its nationals from South Africa as anti-immigrant tensions rise in the country, long a destination for documented and undocumented African workers.

The move by Abuja comes after Ghana recently repatriated hundreds of its citizens from South Africa in response to a wave of protests and violence targeting foreigners.

Screening for Nigeria's voluntary repatriation scheme started on Thursday, foreign ministry spokesman Kimiebi Ebienfa told AFP on Friday.

"Total figure not out yet," he said. "We are expecting over 1,000 persons."

In a statement dated Tuesday, Nigeria's High Commission in Pretoria said it had "negotiated waivers with host authorities" so that those with "immigration-related offences" would be allowed to leave on the eventual repatriation flights rather than be detained.

Unemployment challenges

South Africa, until recently the continent's most industrialised economy, has long attracted workers from across the region.

But saddled with an unemployment rate of over 30%, it has seen repeated spurts of xenophobic protests -- including renewed violence in recent weeks.

The latest tensions have revived uncomfortable debates across Africa about xenophobia, migration, and the gap between pan-African rhetoric and realities facing migration on the continent.

An ultimatum by one citizen-led group for illegal migrants to be expelled by June 30 has raised fears of violence after bouts of anti-immigrant unrest in the past that claimed dozens of lives.

Migrant evacuations

Last month, Ghana repatriated some 300 people, the first batch of what authorities said was expected to be a total of about 800 Ghanaian nationals.

The South African government has said it is stepping up enforcement against undocumented immigrants but urged citizens not to take matters into their own hands.

There are more than three million foreigners living in South Africa, or 5.1% of the population, according to the statistics agency.

More than 63% come from countries in the 16-member Southern African Development Community (SADC) bloc.