South African Grammy-winning singer Tyla has removed Lagos from the schedule of her APOP World Tour, days after her planned December 22 concert in Nigeria sparked outrage over renewed xenophobic attacks against Nigerians living in South Africa.
An update on the singer’s official tour website on Friday showed that the Lagos performance had been removed from the list of tour destinations.
The revised schedule retained all previously announced dates across Europe, North America and South Africa, but excluded Nigeria, which had initially been listed as the only West African stop on the tour.
The development comes amid growing tensions following reports that Nigerian singer Ayra Starr and members of her team were allegedly denied visas to South Africa, leading to the cancellation of a planned appearance in the country.
The controversy intensified after Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan called on the Nigerian government to apply the principle of reciprocity in its dealings with South Africa.
In a statement shared on social media, the senator urged the Nigeria Immigration Service and the Federal Government to review visa applications submitted by South African artistes and their teams if reports concerning Ayra Starr were confirmed.
She stressed that her position was not directed at Tyla personally but was instead aimed at ensuring mutual respect between both countries.
The senator argued that Nigeria’s foreign policy should protect the interests and dignity of Nigerians abroad and that discriminatory treatment should attract corresponding diplomatic measures.
Public reaction to Tyla’s proposed Lagos concert had already been divided. While some Nigerians insisted that South African entertainers should not perform in the country until attacks against fellow Africans ceased, others maintained that musicians should not be held accountable for the actions of governments or criminal elements.
The situation escalated further when activist Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, threatened to mobilise members of his “Ratel Movement” to stop the concert from taking place.
However, activist and 2027 presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore opposed the proposed boycott, arguing that Tyla should not be blamed for the xenophobic attacks.
Sowore maintained that Nigerians should direct their frustrations toward those responsible for the violence rather than targeting an artiste.
The latest development has also fuelled speculation that the Lagos concert may have been quietly withdrawn to prevent tensions from escalating further.
Neither Tyla nor her management team has publicly explained the reason for removing Lagos from the tour schedule, and the concert promoters have yet to issue any statement regarding the status of the event.
The controversy comes against the backdrop of renewed reports of attacks on foreign nationals in South Africa, including claims of violence against Nigerians and the reported death of a Nigerian citizen, identified as Chika Ibe, in Cape Town.
For many observers, Tyla’s decision to remove Lagos from the tour itinerary reflects the increasingly strained atmosphere surrounding cultural exchanges between Africa’s two largest entertainment industries.