After days of heated reactions, boycott calls, and a growing social media campaign, South African singer Tyla’s scheduled Lagos concert has been removed from the public itinerary for her APOP World Tour. However, neither the singer nor her management has explained the change.
Checks by PREMIUM TIMES on the tour’s official website on Friday showed that the Lagos date was no longer listed among the 34-city tour schedule. However, neither Tyla nor her management has publicly explained the change or confirmed whether the concert has been cancelled, postponed or temporarily removed.
The development follows days of online protests, with some Nigerians urging a boycott of the Grammy-winning singer’s planned performance over renewed concerns about the treatment of Nigerians in South Africa.
Lagos date disappears
Tyla had initially announced Lagos as a stop on her 34-date APOP World Tour, with a concert scheduled for 22 December 2026.
The tour, in support of her sophomore album APOP, released on 24 July, is set to begin in Paris on 12 October before moving through Europe, the United Kingdom and North America.
Lagos was billed as her only Nigerian stop and the first African date on the tour before two homecoming performances in Cape Town on 4 January and Johannesburg on 9 January 2027.
However, checks by this newspaper on Friday showed that while the Lagos date had been removed from the public itinerary, the South African concerts remained listed.
Neither Tyla nor her management has issued a statement explaining the disappearance of the Lagos concert from the tour schedule.
Build-up
The development comes amid growing calls by some Nigerians for a boycott of the proposed concert, with critics arguing that a South African artiste should not stage a show in Nigeria. At the same time, concerns persist over xenophobic attacks and the alleged mistreatment of Nigerians living in South Africa.
Recent months have seen renewed scrutiny of anti-immigration protests in South Africa, raids on migrant-owned spaza shops and reports of attacks on foreign nationals.
The controversy intensified following the death of Nigerian national Chika Ibeh during a South African Police Service operation in Cape Town on 23 July.
South Africa’s Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) confirmed that it was investigating the circumstances surrounding Ibeh’s death after preliminary post-mortem findings indicated multiple bruises and abrasions.
The incident further strained relations between Nigeria and South Africa, prompting the Nigerian government to demand a thorough investigation.
Boycott campaign
As news of Tyla’s Lagos concert spread online, several Nigerians called for its cancellation or boycott, arguing that allowing the performance to proceed would send the wrong message, even as Nigerians continued to raise concerns about xenophobia in South Africa.
Among those who publicly backed the campaign were content creator Solomon Buchi, activist VeryDarkMan, broadcaster Dotun, and several other social media users who urged Nigerians not to attend the concert.
Some critics also questioned why Tyla had not publicly addressed concerns surrounding the treatment of Nigerians in South Africa.
However, the campaign drew mixed reactions.
Some Nigerians argued that the singer should not be held responsible for the actions of the South African government or its security agencies.
Human rights activist and African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore was among those who opposed the boycott.
In a post on X, Sowore argued that responsibility for xenophobia should rest with political leaders rather than entertainers.
Entertainment ties
The controversy has also highlighted the long-standing cultural relationship between Nigeria and South Africa’s entertainment industries.
Tyla has previously visited Lagos and collaborated with Nigerian artistes, including Ayra Starr.
Likewise, Nigerian stars such as Wizkid, Davido, Burna Boy, Tems, Omah Lay and DJ Spinall have worked with South African artistes and producers over the years.
South Africa’s amapiano sound has also become firmly established in Nigeria’s music industry, strengthening creative ties between the two countries.
Supporters of Tyla’s Lagos appearance argued that music and cultural exchange should remain separate from diplomatic disagreements.
Others, however, maintained that allowing the concert to proceed while concerns over the treatment of Nigerians in South Africa persist would undermine ongoing calls for accountability.
The controversy also comes amid a separate diplomatic row over reports that Nigerian singer Ayra Starr and members of her team were denied entry visas to South Africa, prompting Kogi Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan to call on the Federal Government to apply the principle of reciprocity by reviewing visa applications for South African artistes and their entourages.
The senator stressed that her position was not directed at Tyla personally, but was aimed at ensuring “mutual respect” in Nigeria’s relations with South Africa.
For now, Tyla’s Cape Town and Johannesburg concerts remain on the tour schedule, while the fate of her planned 22 December Lagos performance remains uncertain.
Neither Tyla, her management, nor the concert organisers had publicly commented on the status of the Lagos concert at the time of filing this report.
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