Governor urges returnees to rebuild at home, assuring them of Enugu Government’s solidarity and support.
Enugu Media Village (EMV), the Most Updated Online News Platform | September 18, 2026.
Governor of Enugu State, Barr. Dr. Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, has welcomed 112 indigenes of the state who returned from South Africa following renewed xenophobic attacks and hostility against black African migrants.
The returnees, comprising 77 families, were received on Thursday at the International Conference Centre (ICC), Enugu, where the state government announced a ₦1 million support fund for each family, amounting to ₦77 million.
Represented by the Secretary to the Enugu State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, Governor Mbah assured the returnees that the state government would stand by them as they rebuild their lives and businesses.
The Governor also disclosed that the government, in collaboration with the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), was profiling about 42 additional returnee families for possible support and reintegration.
Mbah condemned the renewed xenophobic attacks in South Africa, acknowledging the difficulties faced by those who were compelled to abandon businesses, properties, investments, friendships and years of work.
He, however, urged the returnees not to lose hope or be afraid of starting afresh.
“The question before us is not simply, ‘How do we receive our people back?’ The bigger question is: ‘How do we help them begin again?’ That is why today’s reception must go beyond photographs and handshakes. It must mark the beginning of reintegration. It must mark the beginning of rebuilding.”
According to him, the ₦1 million intervention was designed as a seed fund to help each returning family begin the process of rebuilding, rather than as compensation for whatever they may have lost abroad.
“A seed is not the harvest. It is the beginning of the harvest,” Mbah stated.
He further assured the returnees that the government would continue to explore opportunities, programmes and institutions capable of supporting their reintegration into the state’s economy.
The Governor encouraged them to bring home the skills, entrepreneurial experience, networks, ideas and knowledge they acquired in South Africa and deploy them toward building new opportunities in Enugu.
“Do not discard what you learnt abroad. Bring it home. Bring the discipline. Bring the ideas. Bring the networks. Bring the entrepreneurial experiences. Bring the knowledge of markets and technologies.”
Mbah said his administration was deliberately creating an environment where residents could live, work, invest, establish businesses and raise families with greater confidence, citing ongoing investments in infrastructure, connectivity, healthcare, education, agriculture, tourism, technology, enterprise and industry.
‘We Feel at Home’ — Returnees
Responding on behalf of the returnees, Chidimma Ogbonna expressed appreciation to Governor Mbah for the warm reception and financial support.
“Your kindness gave hope and this opportunity. Thank you for welcoming us home and for believing in us,” she said.
Another returnee, Cosmas Okwor, also thanked the Governor for making them feel accepted, declaring: “We are hopeful again.”
The returnees expressed satisfaction with developments in infrastructure and security in Enugu, saying the improvements would contribute positively to their resettlement.
The Chairman, Enugu State Council of Traditional Rulers, HRH Igwe Samuel Ikechukwu Asadu, urged the returnees to remain resilient and focus on rebuilding their lives.
“Put yourself in a position to win. New opportunities beckon,” he advised.
Earlier, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Diaspora, Barr. Olangwa Ezekwu, welcomed the returnees and commended the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, and the NIDCOM, led by Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, for their efforts toward facilitating the safe return of Nigerians affected by the situation.
She also commended Governor Mbah for his support and commitment to the welfare of Enugu indigenes in the diaspora.
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