Grammy-winning South African singer Tyla has removed Lagos from the schedule of her APOP World Tour following widespread backlash over her planned December 22, 2026, concert in Nigeria.
The decision comes after strong opposition from many Nigerians, who argued that South African artistes should not perform in Nigeria while xenophobic attacks against Nigerians in South Africa continue to be reported.
When Tyla first announced her tour, Lagos was listed as the only Nigerian stop. The announcement quickly sparked heated debate across social media and among public figures.
While human rights activist Omoyele Sowore and media personality Oyemykke supported allowing the concert to proceed, several prominent voices called for its cancellation.
Activist VeryDarkMan threatened to mobilise members of his “Ratel Movement” to stop the event, while author Solomon Buchi criticised Tyla for remaining silent over xenophobic attacks that have reportedly claimed lives and destroyed the businesses of Nigerians in South Africa.
Singer Jaywon also opposed the concert, saying Nigerians who attended it would be “illegitimate citizens,” with broadcaster Do2dtun expressing similar concerns.
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, urged the Federal Government and the Nigeria Immigration Service to deny Tyla and her team entry into Nigeria, citing the principle of reciprocity and referencing reports that Nigerian singer Ayra Starr had faced entry issues in South Africa.
A review of Tyla’s official tour schedule on Friday, July 31, confirmed that the Lagos performance had been removed. However, all other tour dates across Europe, North America, and South Africa remain unchanged.
Neither Tyla nor her management has publicly explained why the Lagos show was dropped.
Meanwhile, former Kaduna Central Senator Shehu Sani had earlier appealed to Nigerians not to target the singer, arguing that Tyla should not be blamed for xenophobic attacks carried out by criminal groups in South Africa. He maintained that the singer has never made anti-Nigerian remarks and should not be judged based on the actions of others.
