South African Grammy-winning singer Tyla has reportedly removed her December 22, 2026, Lagos concert from the schedule of her A*POP World Tour, following a wave of backlash from Nigerians over renewed xenophobic attacks against Nigerians and other African migrants in South Africa.
The Lagos show had initially been announced as the only Nigerian stop on Tyla’s global tour. However, a check of her official tour schedule now shows the Lagos date has been removed, although neither Tyla, her management, nor the concert promoters have issued an official statement confirming whether the show has been cancelled or postponed.
The controversy began after Nigerians launched online campaigns calling for a boycott of the concert, arguing that South African entertainers should not perform in Nigeria while xenophobic violence against Nigerians continues in South Africa. Critics also questioned Tyla’s silence on the attacks, while some public figures urged Nigerian authorities to deny visas to the singer and her team.
Others opposed the boycott, including activist Omoyele Sowore, who argued that musicians should not be blamed for the actions of criminals or government failures, insisting that political leaders—not artists—should be held accountable for ending xenophobic violence.
The development comes amid heightened diplomatic tensions between Nigeria and South Africa over recent attacks on foreign nationals. South Africa has since proposed an African Union-wide migration conference aimed at addressing migration and xenophobia across the continent, while Nigeria continues to press for stronger protection of its citizens living in South Africa.
