South African pop star Tyla removed Lagos from her official world tour schedule on Friday following intense social media backlash and online boycott calls.
The singer recently published her global schedule, which initially included 34 stops across North America, Europe, and Africa.
However, updated listings on Tyla’s official A*POP tour website now highlight only Cape Town on January 4, 2027, and Johannesburg on January 9, 2027, for her African leg.
The sudden schedule change caps off a massive period for the 24-year-old artist.
Tyla recently performed at the 2026 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony before anchoring a historic halftime show at the WNBA All-Star game.
However, growing political tensions between South Africa and Nigeria quickly overshadowed her latest album rollout.
Online petitions and boycott calls target Tyla Lagos concert
Nigerian commentators launched an online petition urging authorities to ban the singer from entering the country, citing her silence on anti-migrant protests in South Africa.
Prominent Nigerian entertainment critic Daniel Regha criticised the decision directly to his million-plus followers, questioning her choice to alter the tour schedule rather than address the diplomatic friction on her platform:
Media personality Daddy Freeze offered a contrasting perspective, questioning the consistency of the public outrage.
“Isn’t the SIM Card in the Phone You’re Using to Criticize Tyla an MTN SIM? Didn’t You Watch DStv Last Night? We’re Being Hypocritical,” he noted during a live broadcast.
Author and financial analyst Kalu Aja backed a boycott on principle, drawing on historical precedent.
“Nigeria boycotted the Commonwealth Games in 1986 on the principle of fighting against apartheid… There is a time for everything; maybe someday she will come back and do a bigger concert in Nigeria, but not at this time.”
Political fallout and host promoter accountability
The debate quickly expanded into formal government channels.
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan called on the Nigeria Immigration Service to review visa applications for South African artistes, demanding reciprocal treatment following entry hurdles for Nigerian performers.
Others blamed local organisers rather than the performer. Miss Nigeria Tourism 2025 Stella Abiodun questioned the judgment of host promoters in Lagos.
”My biggest concern is that there were Nigerian promoters and organizers who sat down and planned this event. Who looked at everything happening between Nigerians and South Africa… and still concluded that this was the right time to organize this event? Sometimes the biggest problem isn’t the guest. It’s the values of the people who opened the door.”
Diplomatic relations remain strained despite high-level bilateral talks in Abuja.
Addressing growing criticism, International Relations Minister Ronald Lamola emphasised that South Africa holds the sovereign right to enforce immigration laws.
However, government officials condemned anti-migrant vigilantism and confirmed ongoing arrests, with police pursuing several recent cases involving spaza shop looting, robbery, and individuals impersonating Home Affairs officials.
Tyla’s management team has not issued a formal statement explaining the venue removal.
