The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), the apex students governing body, has issued a four days ultimatum to South African business interests to evacuate Nigeria.

This is contained in a statement issued on Monday in Enugu by Comrade Amb. Bestman Okereafor, NANS National Executive Director, Cooperate and Private Sectors Engagement.

The statement said that after the expiration of the ultimatum, South African business interests would face full wrath of the over 43.1 million Nigerian students scattered in the nooks and crannies of the country.

“The attention of the apex students governing body, NANS, has been drawn to continuous attacks, intimidation and subsequent chase of law abiding, peaceful and hardworking Nigerians and other Africans from South Africa.

“As the biggest students body in Africa, we are giving South African business interests four days to evacuate our beloved country, Nigeria.

Advertisement

“The reason for this action is simple. South Africans cannot continue to oppress and chase our people from their country and expect their businesses to thrive on our soil,” it said.

The statement further noted that immediately after expiration of the ultimatum, NANS will consider picketing South Africa business interests, while further actions will follow.”

It called on the Federal Government of Nigeria and the African Union (AU) to take more decisive actions against South Africa for their inimical acts towards other Africans.

“It is on record that Nigeria played a major role in support of South Africa during the apartheid struggle and should never be paid with disloyalty, disrespect and global embarrassment,” it added.

It would be recalled that xenophobic attack by South Africans on other Africans for some months had led to Nigerians being physically assaulted, embarrassed, intimidated, injured and some gruesomely murdered.

Advertisement

Several Nigeria business interests and business premises, owned by law abiding Nigerians in South Africa, had been completely burnt down or destroyed by rampaging South Africans without any justification.

The alleged perpetrators of these crimes had earlier given Nigerians and other Africans an ultimatum of June 30 to leave South Africa.

The Federal Government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had in recent weeks airlifted hundreds of Nigerians, who are willing to leave the unfriendly country and her people, free of charge back to Nigeria.

However, some of those, who returned to Nigeria recently, left South Africa barely with the cloth they put on, losing savings, valuables and businesses they set up or acquired after many years.

Advertisement

A man identified as Gospel Uebari Kinanee, who disappeared in 2007 at the age of 14, has been found alive after spending 18 years in detention at the Port Harcourt Maximum Security Correctional Centre.

According to reports, Gospel was allegedly taken into custody by suspected security operatives and detained without trial, formal charges, or any case file.

Before his disappearance, he had gone out to play near his home in Ogoni, Rivers State, in 2007 and never returned. His family launched an extensive search, visiting police stations, mortuaries, and even the same correctional facility where he was unknowingly being held. Unable to cope with the uncertainty and anguish, both of his parents reportedly died during the years-long search.

His family and advocates were unable to locate him because he had been wrongly registered by the correctional facility under the name “Baridi Sunday” instead of his real name, Gospel Uebari Kinanee.

His ordeal came to light during a prison outreach programme conducted by the Haven360 Foundation, where he was identified as one of several “ghost prisoners”—individuals detained without proper legal documentation.

Gospel was subsequently released by the Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Simeon Amadi, during a jail delivery exercise aimed at decongesting correctional facilities.

Advertisement

Now in his 30s, Gospel is reportedly battling severe mental and psychological health challenges following his prolonged detention.

His family is pursuing a ₦10 billion lawsuit against the Federal Government and the Rivers State Government, seeking justice and compensation for his alleged unlawful detention.

In a fresh show of solidarity within the Anambra State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), sixteen Local Government Chairmen, twenty-two State Executive Committee members, and twenty-eight aspirants across the state have distanced themselves from what they described as a “kangaroo grand entry,” reaffirming their allegiance to the state chairman, Senator Emma Anosike.

The mass show of support comes amid lingering tension in the party following a controversial court process that had sought to challenge Anosike’s leadership , a move the state APC executive had earlier dismissed as a “kangaroo judgment” lacking the backing of genuine party stakeholders.

Sources within the party say the boycotted event, tagged a “Grand Entry,” was organized by a faction opposed to the current leadership, apparently in an attempt to project an alternative structure and challenge the legitimacy of Anosike’s executive. However, the near-total absence of substantive party officials at the event has been read by observers as a clear indication that the rival faction lacks the grassroots backing it claims to have.

In separate statements, the affected chairmen, exco members, and aspirants said their decision to stay away was a deliberate stand against what they called an orchestrated distraction targeted at the “constitutionally recognized” leadership of the party in the state. They restated their commitment to the Anosike-led executive, insisting that the chairman and his team remain the only legitimate authority running the affairs of the APC in Anambra.

Party loyalists argue that the scale of the boycott — spanning local government administration, the state working committee, and aspiring candidates — sends a strong signal about where the balance of support lies within the party’s grassroots structure. They maintain that any parallel structure or gathering outside the recognized leadership amounts to a distraction that will not derail the party’s preparations for the National Assembly, State Assembly, and local government polls.

Advertisement

As of press time, the organizers of the “Grand Entry” have yet to respond publicly to the mass boycott, while the Anosike-led executive is expected to address the development formally in the coming days.

For many Nigerians hoping to relocate abroad, 2026 has presented both new opportunities and tougher challenges.

Several traditional migration destinations, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and parts of Europe, have tightened immigration policies through stricter visa rules, tougher residency requirements and increased scrutiny of foreign applicants.

These changes have made relocation more difficult for many prospective students, skilled workers and families.

However, not every country is moving in the same direction.

Driven by labour shortages, ageing populations, economic growth plans and regional integration efforts, a number of countries have introduced visa reforms, new work permit schemes, residency pathways and visa-free travel policies that could make it easier for Nigerians to live, work or travel abroad.

Advertisement

Here are 9 countries that have introduced measures in 2026 that could improve relocation opportunities for Nigerians.

Canada
Canada has introduced new permanent residency pathways specifically for internationally trained medical doctors, including Nigerians.
The initiative expands access to permanent residency through Express Entry and provincial or territorial immigration programmes. Qualified doctors can also begin working while their immigration applications are being processed, helping to address the country’s healthcare workforce shortage.

Russia
Russia launched a new Skilled Worker Visa programme to attract foreign professionals into sectors facing acute labour shortages.
The programme allows eligible applicants to obtain a three-year temporary residence permit or apply directly for permanent residency. It also removes the mandatory Russian language examination and aims to process applications within 30 days.

Ìreland
Ireland expanded its employment permit system by introducing 32 reforms aimed at filling vacancies across critical sectors.
The changes affect industries including healthcare, construction, agriculture, transport, food production and specialist services. More occupations have been added to the Critical Skills Employment Permit list, giving skilled Nigerian workers greater access to employment and long-term residency opportunities.

Lithuania
Lithuania overhauled its work permit system with a fully digital application platform to attract foreign talent.
The country also replaced sector-specific labour quotas with a unified national quota, simplifying recruitment for employers and creating new opportunities in more than 100 occupations experiencing worker shortages.

Advertisement

Greece
Greece revised its Digital Nomad Visa programme to provide a clearer pathway for remote workers.
Applicants must now obtain a 12-month Digital Nomad Visa before travelling, which can later be converted into a two-year residence permit. The reforms provide greater legal certainty for freelancers, entrepreneurs and remote employees seeking long-term residence.

Spain
Spain approved a large-scale regularisation programme aimed at granting legal status to hundreds of thousands of undocumented migrants already living in the country.
Eligible applicants can obtain renewable work permits and legal residency, allowing them to work across sectors such as hospitality, tourism, agriculture and other service industries.

Ghana
Ghana introduced visa-free entry for all African citizens from May 25, 2026.
Under the new policy, Nigerians can travel to Ghana without obtaining a traditional visa, instead using a free electronic travel authorisation. The initiative is expected to boost tourism, trade, business and regional integration across Africa.

Togo
Togo removed visa requirements for all African passport holders.
Nigerians and other African travellers can now enter the country without a visa for stays of up to 30 days, provided they meet applicable immigration, health and security requirements. The move is expected to encourage tourism, business travel and regional commerce.

Republic of the Congo
The Republic of the Congo has announced plans to introduce visa-free entry for all African nationals from January 2027.
Although the policy has not yet taken effect, it signals the country’s commitment to improving intra-African mobility and regional integration. Once implemented, Nigerians will be able to visit without undergoing traditional visa application procedures.
Growing opportunities despite tougher migration rules.

Advertisement

While many popular destinations continue to tighten immigration policies, several countries are opening new pathways for skilled workers, healthcare professionals, entrepreneurs, remote workers and African travellers.

For Nigerians planning to relocate, these reforms offer alternative destinations with improved access to employment, residency and cross-border mobility, although applicants should always review each country’s official immigration requirements before making relocation plans.

A 27-year-old hairstylist from Oraifite in Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State, Loveth Sunday, has narrated how a tragic road accident changed the course of her life, leaving her with an amputated leg and ending her relationship just weeks after her introduction ceremony.

Speaking about her ordeal, Loveth said she was knocked down by a commercial bus that reportedly suffered brake failure on April 12, 2019, in front of the Oraifite Police Station while waiting by the roadside to travel to Onitsha.

According to her, the bus veered off the road and hit three people. Two victims died instantly, while she survived with severe injuries.

She said sympathisers rushed her to several hospitals, but she was allegedly turned away by five medical facilities before she was finally admitted to a sixth hospital, where she remained unconscious for five days.

After regaining consciousness, Loveth said doctors informed her that her left leg had been badly damaged and would have to be amputated to save her life after the tissue had become infected.

Advertisement

She was later transferred to Uzondu Orthopaedic Hospital in Ojoto, where doctors insisted that delaying the procedure could allow the infection to spread to her heart and become fatal.

Although her parents initially opposed the amputation, fearing they would lose their daughter, Loveth said she eventually consented to the procedure after doctors explained the risks.

She disclosed that her family spent about ₦2.5 million on medical treatment after initially being asked to deposit ₦350,000.

Loveth also revealed that the accident occurred barely three weeks after her introduction ceremony with her fiancé, held on March 23, 2019.

She said her fiancé visited her in the hospital shortly after the accident but later stopped communicating with her and eventually informed her that he was no longer interested in continuing the relationship.

Advertisement

“I expected him to encourage me, but instead he ended the relationship while I was still in the hospital,” she said.

Beyond losing her fiancé, Loveth said the experience also exposed those who truly cared about her, noting that while some friends stood by her, others—including her best friend—never visited or contacted her after the accident.

She currently relies on crutches after her prosthetic limb became damaged. According to her, a basic prosthesis costs about ₦850,000, while more advanced versions range from ₦1.5 million to ₦2.5 million.

Loveth appealed for financial assistance to enable her acquire a new prosthetic limb and expand her small perfume business, which she says provides the income she uses for medical check-ups and daily living expenses.

She also expressed disappointment that the driver responsible for the accident allegedly paid only ₦50,000 through his relatives, despite the family’s medical expenses running into millions of naira.

Advertisement

According to Loveth, the driver’s relatives claimed they had exhausted their resources after selling land to bury the two other victims who died in the crash.

Despite the challenges, she said she remains grateful to be alive and continues to draw strength from her faith while hoping for a better future.