South African pop star Tyla has removed Lagos from the schedule of her upcoming A*POP World Tour, after calls in Nigeria to boycott her planned concert amid renewed tensions over anti-immigrant sentiment in South Africa.
The two-time Grammy Award winner originally included Lagos among the African stops on her 34-date world tour. She was scheduled to perform in the Nigerian city on 22 December 2026 before concluding the tour with concerts in Cape Town and Johannesburg in January.
Lagos no longer appears on the updated tour schedule, although neither Tyla nor her management has publicly explained the change. Concert promoters have also not announced whether the show has been formally cancelled, postponed or could return to the itinerary at a later stage.
The removal follows growing criticism from some Nigerian social media users who called on audiences to boycott the concert. Their campaign linked Tyla’s planned appearance to wider anger over anti-immigrant demonstrations and hostility towards foreign nationals in South Africa.
An online petition also called for Tyla to be barred from entering Nigeria until South Africa addresses xenophobic attacks. The campaign attracted thousands of signatures as criticism spread across social media.
Some users questioned why the South African singer had not publicly addressed anti-migrant sentiment before announcing a performance in Nigeria. Tyla has not been accused of involvement in the protests, and no evidence suggests that she played any role in South Africa’s immigration debate.
The controversy nevertheless demonstrates how tensions between Africa’s two largest cultural and economic markets can quickly move beyond government relations and into music, tourism and entertainment.
Relations between sections of the Nigerian and South African public have periodically become strained over reports of xenophobic violence and discrimination against African migrants in South Africa.
Recent anti-immigration demonstrations have again intensified the debate. Some campaigners in South Africa have demanded stronger action against undocumented migration, while incidents involving foreign nationals have generated concern elsewhere on the continent.
South African authorities maintain that immigration laws must be enforced through state institutions rather than community action. The government has also repeatedly condemned xenophobia and violence against foreign nationals.
Nigeria and South Africa remain important diplomatic and economic partners despite periodic tensions between their citizens. Officials from both countries have continued diplomatic engagement aimed at strengthening relations and addressing areas of disagreement.
The Tyla controversy shows how quickly those tensions can affect cultural relations. South African artists have built significant audiences in Nigeria, while Nigerian musicians enjoy enormous popularity in South Africa. Afrobeats and amapiano have increasingly crossed national borders, creating collaborations and audiences that have helped reshape African popular music internationally.
Tyla represents one of the most successful examples of that global expansion. The Johannesburg-born singer rose to international prominence with “Water” and has since developed a global audience that stretches well beyond South Africa.
Her A*POP World Tour is expected to reinforce that international reach. The tour begins in Paris on 12 October before travelling through several European cities, including Amsterdam and London. Tyla will then move through North America, with performances scheduled across the United States and Canada.
The African leg was originally expected to begin in Lagos before moving to South Africa. With the Nigerian date absent from the current schedule, Cape Town and Johannesburg remain the confirmed African stops.
Tyla will perform at Green Point Track in Cape Town on 4 January 2027 before closing the tour at the Expo Centre in Nasrec, Johannesburg, on 9 January.
The dispute has also drawn attention to the expectations increasingly placed on African celebrities when political and social controversies cross national borders.
Some Nigerian critics argue that influential South African public figures should speak more openly about xenophobia and anti-migrant sentiment. Others question whether musicians and entertainers should carry responsibility for government policies or the actions of political movements in their home countries.
That debate has extended beyond Tyla. South African comedian Trevor Noah recently faced criticism from some social media users after appearing in a tourism campaign promoting South Africa. Critics questioned his silence on xenophobia while he encouraged international audiences to visit the country.
The backlash illustrates the increasingly blurred boundary between entertainment, politics and national identity in the social media era.
Artists with global audiences can become symbols of their countries even when they have no direct involvement in government policy. Their performances, endorsements and public statements can therefore attract political interpretations that extend far beyond their work.
The controversy surrounding Tyla is particularly significant because Nigeria and South Africa have become two of Africa’s most influential entertainment markets.
Nigeria’s Afrobeats industry has produced global stars and helped place African popular music at the centre of international charts. South Africa’s amapiano movement has achieved similar international momentum, influencing artists and dance culture across the world.
Collaboration between artists from both countries has played an important role in that success. Political and social tensions risk complicating those cultural relationships if musicians increasingly become targets of disputes unrelated to their work.
The removal of Lagos from Tyla’s tour does not by itself establish the reason behind the decision. Without an official explanation from the singer, her management or concert promoters, any direct connection between the boycott campaign and the schedule change remains unconfirmed.
The timing, however, has intensified speculation and placed the singer at the centre of a wider conversation about Nigeria-South Africa relations.
Tyla’s world tour will continue across Europe and North America before returning to her home country in January.
Whether Lagos eventually returns to the schedule remains unclear. What is already evident is that a dispute that began around migration and xenophobia has travelled far beyond politics, reaching one of Africa’s most internationally recognised young music stars.
