Sudan War: Over 3,100 Nigerians Rescued, Thousands More May Still Be Trapped

More than 3,100 Nigerians have been evacuated from war-ravaged Sudan since conflict erupted in the North African nation in April 2023, but Nigerian authorities are still unable to determine how many citizens remain trapped in the country.

Fresh data obtained from the Federal Government and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) shows that at least 3,108 Nigerians have so far been repatriated through emergency evacuation exercises and humanitarian return programmes.

The figure comprises 2,518 Nigerians evacuated by the Federal Government during the early stages of the conflict in 2023 and another 590 citizens brought home through IOM-supported humanitarian flights conducted between 2025 and 2026.

Officials involved in the evacuation process, however, say the actual number of returnees may be higher as some Nigerians reportedly escaped Sudan through unofficial routes or arranged their own departure without government assistance.

Nigeria’s first major evacuation exercise was launched shortly after fighting broke out on April 15, 2023, between the Sudanese Armed Forces led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and the Rapid Support Forces commanded by General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, popularly known as Hemedti.

At the height of the crisis, the Federal Government deployed 15 special flights to rescue stranded Nigerians, many of them students enrolled in Sudanese universities.

Four evacuation flights departed from Aswan in Egypt, while 11 others took off from Port Sudan after evacuees undertook perilous journeys through active conflict zones to reach designated departure points.

The final batch of government-assisted evacuees arrived at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on May 13, 2023.

Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, later disclosed that the Federal Government spent approximately $1.2 million on the rescue operation. The funds covered transportation logistics, including the procurement of 40 buses used to move evacuees to the Egyptian border, as well as exit charges imposed by Egyptian authorities.

Despite the successful evacuation, the war continued to escalate, spreading beyond Khartoum into Darfur, Kordofan and several other regions.

Many Nigerians who either missed the initial evacuation exercise or chose to remain behind subsequently found themselves trapped as the security situation deteriorated.

To support vulnerable migrants and foreign nationals seeking to leave Sudan, the International Organisation for Migration later launched a Voluntary Humanitarian Return programme.

Under the initiative, four chartered flights have so far evacuated 590 Nigerians, including students whose education was disrupted by the conflict, elderly persons and citizens who lost their livelihoods due to the collapse of economic activities.

Some returnees also received entrepreneurship and business development training designed to assist them in rebuilding their lives after returning home.

However, despite these efforts, the precise number of Nigerians still living in Sudan remains unknown.

IOM Senior Communications Assistant, Elijah Elaigwu, acknowledged that authorities have been unable to establish a verified figure due to the fluid nature of the conflict and limited access to affected areas.

“Unfortunately, at this time, there is no precise or verified figure for the number of Nigerians still in Sudan who may have declined assistance or remain unreached,” he said.

Humanitarian organisations warn that conditions in Sudan remain extremely fragile, with millions displaced and critical infrastructure severely damaged.

While some displaced residents have begun returning to parts of Khartoum and Aj Jazirah State, many are finding devastated communities, destroyed homes and limited access to healthcare, education and other essential services.

As the conflict enters another year with no comprehensive peace agreement in sight, concerns continue to mount over the welfare and safety of Nigerians who may still be stranded in one of Africa’s most devastating humanitarian crises.