The first batch of returnees was initially expected to arrive in Nigeria on Monday, but authorities have now shifted the operation to Wednesday, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In a brief statement issued to journalists, the ministry's spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, confirmed the postponement but did not disclose the specific reasons behind the delay.
The statement indicated that the change was necessitated by "unforeseen logistical considerations," without providing further details on the nature of the challenges.
Government officials have also remained silent on key aspects of the operation, including the exact number of Nigerians expected on the first flight and whether the aircraft will land in Abuja or Lagos.
Sources familiar with the arrangements, however, indicated that the evacuation flight is expected to be operated by Air Peace, the Nigerian carrier that has previously participated in several government-backed evacuation missions involving citizens stranded abroad.
When contacted regarding Wednesday's revised schedule, Ebienfa declined to confirm the departure or arrival time of the flight.
The repatriation exercise follows growing concerns over the safety and welfare of Nigerians living in South Africa amid reports of renewed xenophobic attacks targeting foreign nationals.
As part of preparations for the exercise, Nigeria's High Commission in Pretoria commenced a screening and documentation process for affected citizens last Thursday. The exercise, which was expected to conclude on Saturday, reportedly involved more than 1,000 Nigerians who expressed interest in returning home.
Diplomatic efforts have also been underway to ensure that all eligible citizens can participate in the evacuation programme.
The Nigerian High Commission disclosed that it successfully negotiated waivers with South African authorities to allow citizens facing immigration-related infractions to depart voluntarily on the repatriation flights rather than face detention or other legal consequences.
The arrangement is expected to ease the evacuation process for many Nigerians who may have overstayed visas or encountered documentation issues while residing in South Africa.
The planned evacuation comes against the backdrop of increasing tensions involving foreign nationals in parts of South Africa, where sporadic outbreaks of xenophobic violence have, over the years, targeted migrants from several African countries.
Nigeria has consistently expressed concern over attacks on its citizens and has repeatedly engaged South African authorities through diplomatic channels to ensure their protection.
The latest repatriation effort also follows a similar operation conducted by Ghana. Two weeks ago, Ghana successfully evacuated nearly 300 of its citizens from South Africa, representing the first batch of approximately 800 people who registered for voluntary return.
According to Ebienfa, Nigeria had submitted its own list of prospective returnees for clearance before Ghana completed its process. However, Ghana's evacuation was prioritised ahead of Nigeria's operation.
The delay has left many registered Nigerians awaiting confirmation of their departure date, although government officials insist that arrangements remain in place for the exercise to proceed on Wednesday.
With over a thousand citizens reportedly seeking repatriation, the operation is expected to be conducted in phases, depending on available logistics and approvals from both Nigerian and South African authorities.
The Federal Government has not indicated whether additional evacuation flights will be required after the first batch is transported home.