Former Miss Universe Nigeria and Miss Universe Africa & Oceania Chidimma Adetshina has continued her legal battle against deportation in South Africa, with the Cape Town Regional Court reserving judgment and adjourning the case to August 19, 2026.
The South African Department of Home Affairs is seeking a court order to keep Adetshina in detention pending her deportation, arguing that she is living in the country unlawfully and does not have valid immigration status under the country’s Immigration Act. The department also claims she re-entered South Africa despite previously being declared a “prohibited person.”
Adetshina’s legal team has opposed the application, insisting she has taken steps to regularise her immigration status and that there is no basis to detain her. Her lawyer argued that she is a high-profile public figure, not a flight risk, and has even offered to surrender her South African passport while the legal process continues.
The legal dispute stems from the citizenship controversy that erupted during her participation in the Miss South Africa 2024 pageant. After withdrawing from the competition amid public backlash, she accepted Nigeria’s invitation to compete in Miss Universe Nigeria 2024, which she won before finishing as first runner-up at the Miss Universe pageant—the highest placement ever achieved by a Nigerian contestant.
The outcome of the case is expected to determine whether South African authorities can proceed with her deportation or whether she will be allowed to remain in the country while challenging the government’s decision.
