Former Anambra State governor Peter Obi has revealed that several Nigerians living in South Africa refused offers to return home despite the hardship and hostility many reportedly face abroad.
The former presidential candidate made the disclosure during a dinner organized for National Democratic Coalition aspirants in Abuja after returning from a recent visit to South Africa.
According to a statement released by the NDC media team on Tuesday, Obi said the conversations he had with Nigerians living abroad painted a troubling picture about how many citizens currently view conditions back home.
“I just came back last night from South Africa. You know what Nigerians are going through in South Africa and so many other African countries,” he said.
Obi explained that arrangements had reportedly been made to support Nigerians willing to return to Nigeria, but many declined the offer because they believed the situation at home was even more difficult.
“If you don’t know, we provided facilities for them to come back. But most of them told me they would rather die there than come back. They said things are even worse at home,” he added.
His comments have already triggered widespread reactions online, with many Nigerians debating the country’s economic hardship, insecurity, and the growing trend of young professionals and workers seeking opportunities abroad.
Over the last few years, South Africa has remained one of the destinations where Nigerians and other African migrants have frequently reported experiences involving xenophobia, discrimination, and economic struggles.
Despite these challenges, many Nigerians continue relocating abroad in search of better economic opportunities, improved security, and more stable living conditions.
During his speech, Obi said he also met with former South African president Thabo Mbeki and other leaders to discuss relations between South Africans and African nationals living in the country.
According to him, the issues affecting Nigerians abroad extend beyond South Africa alone.
“It is not only in South Africa that Nigerians have problems, but they have problems in other countries,” he said.
Obi also questioned the level of engagement and support Nigerian citizens abroad receive from government authorities, suggesting that many affected citizens feel abandoned during difficult situations.
“I have had cause to ask them if our government has visited and the answer is no,” he stated.
The former governor further used the occasion to express concern over Nigeria’s worsening security situation, comparing the country’s current internal struggles to its historical role in supporting peacekeeping operations across Africa and beyond.
“Nigeria played a role in securing nations since the Second World War. But today, Nigeria cannot secure itself. This is unacceptable,” he said.
His remarks come at a time when insecurity, economic pressure, unemployment, and migration remain major national topics of conversation across Nigeria.
In recent years, the “Japa” movement — a popular term used to describe the growing number of Nigerians relocating abroad — has continued to grow, particularly among young professionals frustrated by economic instability and insecurity.
Obi’s latest comments are likely to further fuel political debates over governance, economic management, and the living conditions that drive many Nigerians to seek opportunities abroad, despite the challenges they may encounter there.
For many listeners, perhaps the most striking part of his speech was the revelation that some Nigerians reportedly preferred to endure hardship overseas rather than return home, a statement that many observers say reflects deep frustration with the country’s current realities.
