The Nigerian Union South Africa (NUSA) has called on President Bola Tinubu’s administration to establish a “Returnee Entrepreneurs Fund” to support citizens repatriated from South Africa.

NUSA national publicity secretary, Akindele Olunloyo, made the call while responding to inquiries sent by Peoples Gazette on Thursday.

Mr Olunloyo urged the federal government to offer “emergency financial assistance to cover basic needs upon arrival, temporary accommodation for those without immediate housing, psychological counselling and trauma support for victims of violence, and medical assistance for those injured during the xenophobic attacks.”

He urged stronger government action, including establishing a comprehensive repatriation programme, recalling diplomatic staff to exert stronger diplomatic pressure, providing compensation for victims, increasing staffing and resources at the Nigerian mission in South Africa, and maintaining accurate records of affected nationals.

The NUSA official also urged the federal government to introduce long-term reintegration initiatives and vocational training initiatives; provide business grants and interest-free loans to entrepreneurs seeking to rebuild businesses lost in South Africa; and offer support for children whose schooling was disrupted.

Additionally, Mr Olunloyo called on the government to provide tax incentives, prioritise repatriated Nigerians for government contracts, and create a dedicated desk within the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) to coordinate returnee affairs.

He, however, commended the federal government’s efforts to evacuate Nigerians in immediate danger amid the xenophobic attacks.

The NUSA spokesman urged Mr Tinubu to leverage Nigeria’s economic relationship with South Africa more strategically, adding that Nigeria’s trade and diplomatic privileges should be tied to the protection of nationals.

Mr Olunloyo described the current situation of Nigerians in South Africa as “cautiously tense but relatively stable,” adding that many Nigerians continue to experience “targeted hostility, business disruptions, and persistent tension.”

According to him, 258 Nigerians were repatriated on June 11, 66 on June 24, and another 271 airlifted on June 29 amid the attacks.

He added that nearly 400 nationals who have registered and obtained clearance certificates are awaiting their return to Nigeria, while several others in South Africa’s remote provinces have also expressed interest in registering for repatriation.

The union official stated that some who wish to return home face financial constraints, lack proper travel documentation, and have business and family commitments that complicate their immediate departure.

He described the attacks as “troubling and a fundamental contradiction of the spirit of Pan-Africanism and Ubuntu, which should define the continent.”

Attributing the attacks to “economic frustrations, stereotyping, and the South African government’s inability to address root causes of the attack,” Mr Olunloyo lamented that Nigerians “are being scapegoated for socio-economic challenges they did not create.”