State Strengthens Reintegration Efforts as Returnees Receive ₦77m Livelihood Support.
Enugu Media Village (EMV), the Most Updated Online News Platform | September 18, 2026.
The Enugu State Government has commenced the profiling of an additional 42 families expected to return from South Africa, as part of its broader efforts to ensure the safe return, rehabilitation and economic reintegration of indigenes affected by xenophobic attacks and insecurity.
The development follows the recent arrival of 77 Enugu State families comprising 112 indigenes who returned from South Africa after being forced to leave amid reported xenophobic incidents and difficult circumstances.
The profiling exercise is expected to enable the state government to obtain comprehensive information on the returning families, including their backgrounds, skills, businesses, immediate needs and areas requiring government intervention. This will help facilitate targeted support and sustainable reintegration into the state’s economy.
The exercise is being undertaken in collaboration with relevant federal authorities, including the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), as the government continues to coordinate efforts aimed at supporting affected returnees.
At a special reception organised for the returnees at the International Conference Centre, Enugu, the state government announced a ₦77 million intervention, with ₦1 million provided to each of the 77 families as immediate livelihood support.
The intervention, according to the government, is intended to provide the families with a foundation to restart their economic activities and rebuild their livelihoods after the losses and disruptions experienced abroad.
Governor Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, represented at the event by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, urged the returnees not to be discouraged by their experiences, assuring them that returning home should mark the beginning of a new chapter rather than the end of their aspirations.
The Governor encouraged them to leverage the skills, entrepreneurial experience, professional knowledge and networks they acquired while living abroad, particularly as Enugu continues to expand opportunities in agriculture, technology, manufacturing, trade, tourism and other sectors.
He further stressed the importance of resilience and urged the returnees to embrace the opportunities available in the state as they rebuild their lives and businesses.
Some of the returnees expressed appreciation for the reception and assistance provided by the state government, describing the intervention as an important encouragement at a difficult period.
One of the returnees, Chidimma Ogbonna, expressed gratitude for the warm reception, while another returnee, Cosmas Okwor, said the support had renewed their hope of starting afresh.
The Chairman of the Enugu State Council of Traditional Rulers, HRH Igwe Samuel Ikechukwu Asadu, also encouraged the returnees to remain resilient and take advantage of opportunities available in their communities.
With the profiling of the additional 42 families now underway, the state government’s reintegration programme is expected to provide a broader framework for identifying the needs of returning Enugu indigenes and connecting them with appropriate economic and social support.
The initiative also underscores the importance of coordinated government intervention in helping citizens affected by displacement to regain stability, restore their livelihoods and contribute meaningfully to the development of their home state.
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