Tyla Removes Lagos Concert From Tour Amid Backlash

Tyla Removes Lagos From Tour Schedule Amid Backlash

The tour schedule adjustment follows an intense online backlash and boycott calls across social media platforms including X, Instagram, and TikTok. Critics questioned whether the concert should proceed as tensions mounted over recent anti-illegal immigrant demonstrations and violence against foreign nationals in South Africa, including the reported death of Nigerian citizen Chika Ibe in Cape Town. An online petition titled Ban Tyla from entering Nigeria until xenophobic attacks stop in South Africa gathered thousands of signatures within days of its launch, according to Thelagosreview.

Public Figures and Divided Reactions

Several prominent Nigerian figures and media personalities spoke out against the tour stop, pointing to the artist’s silence regarding the anti-immigrant tensions. Media personality Do2dtun criticized the timing and urged the Nigeria Immigration Service to deny entry visas to Tyla and her team, while social commentator Solomon Buchi called for a complete event boycott. Martins Vincent Otse, known as VeryDarkMan, threatened physical protests through the “Ratel Movement” to prevent the concert from taking place.

The backlash also prompted broader discussions regarding diplomatic relations and artist mobility. Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan called on the federal government to apply the principle of reciprocity by reviewing visa applications for South African creatives, recalling previous reports regarding Nigerian singer Ayra Starr. Meanwhile, opposing voices argued against holding artists accountable for government policies. Former Nigerian presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore urged Nigerians to direct their frustrations toward political leaders rather than entertainers, maintaining that cultural exchanges should continue.

Tour Itinerary and Wider Regional Fallout

Before the removal of the Lagos stop, Tyla’s global tour was announced in support of her second studio album, *A*POP*, which was released on July 24. The 34-date itinerary is scheduled to begin in Paris on October 12, travelling across Europe, the United Kingdom, and North America. The African leg of the tour is now restricted to performances at the Green Point Track in Cape Town on January 4 and the Expo Centre in Johannesburg on January 9, 2027.

The controversy surrounding the tour highlights how South Africa’s anti-migrant protests have increasingly affected the wider creative industry. South Africa’s Justice Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi previously revealed that several South African musicians had experienced performance cancellations across Africa due to growing anger over attacks on foreign nationals, according to Arise. The South African government has rejected mounting criticism, noting that authorities have arrested more than 900 people following the protests while maintaining the state’s right to control migration.