South African singer Tyla has removed Lagos from the itinerary of her A*POP World Tour, days after some Nigerians called for a boycott of her planned concert amid renewed concerns over alleged xenophobic attacks against Nigerians in South Africa.
The Lagos concert, which was initially scheduled for December 22, 2026, no longer appears on the Grammy-winning singer’s official tour schedule as of Thursday.
Tyla and her management have yet to issue an official statement explaining the change, while the organisers have also not confirmed whether the Lagos show has been cancelled or postponed.
The development follows widespread criticism after the singer announced her world tour earlier in the week, with Lagos listed as her only Nigerian stop before the tour concludes with performances in Cape Town and Johannesburg in January.
The backlash was largely triggered by renewed reports of attacks against Nigerians in South Africa, with some Nigerians calling for a boycott of the concert in protest.
Social media activist Martins Vincent Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, had urged concert promoters not to bring Tyla to Nigeria, arguing that the show should not proceed while Nigerians were allegedly facing attacks and being forced to leave South Africa.
Several other Nigerians joined the campaign online, calling on fans to boycott the concert and arguing that hosting a South African artiste amid the tensions would send the wrong message.
However, human rights activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore opposed the boycott campaign, arguing that Tyla should not be held responsible for the actions of others.
Sowore urged Nigerians to separate politics from entertainment and allow the singer to perform in the country.
The controversy has also reignited discussions about Chidimma Adetshina, the former Miss Universe Nigeria of Nigerian and South African heritage, whose nationality and residency dispute in South Africa became a major source of tension between the two countries.
Tyla has not publicly commented on the boycott calls or the wider debate over xenophobia.
Her revised tour schedule still includes performances in Cape Town and Johannesburg in January, while Nigerian fans await official clarification on the status of the Lagos concert.
