By Sandra Kenneth
South African Grammy-winning singer Tyla has quietly pulled her planned Lagos concert from her upcoming world tour schedule following sharp pushback from Nigerian social media users over reports of renewed xenophobic attacks against Nigerians in South Africa.
The singer unveiled her international tour itinerary on Monday, which originally featured a December 22 performance in Lagos alongside stops across Europe, North America, and South Africa.
However, the announcement immediately triggered heated debates online. Numerous Nigerian commentators questioned the timing of the performance, pointing to recent reports of violence targeting Nigerian citizens in South Africa and reigniting long-standing diplomatic and social tensions between the two nations.
While many online users called for an outright boycott of the Lagos show, others defended the singer, arguing that cultural exchange should remain separate from political disputes and that individual artists should not be held accountable for societal conflicts.
Prominent public figures also entered the conversation. Media personality Do2dtun directed criticism at local event promoters for organizing the show amid diplomatic friction, whereas activist Omoyele Sowore urged the public to focus their grievances on political leadership rather than targeting the performer.
Although neither Tyla nor her management team has released an official statement regarding the controversy, the Lagos concert has since been scrubbed from the tour’s official ticketing platform. The December 22 date no longer appears on the schedule.
The revised itinerary retains her performances across North America and Europe, as well as two concerts in South Africa—Cape Town on January 4 and Johannesburg on January 9.
It remains unclear whether the Lagos appearance has been permanently canceled or postponed to a later date.
