South African singer Tyla has removed Lagos, Nigeria, from the schedule of her upcoming A*POP World Tour, days after online criticism and calls for a boycott of the planned concert.
The Lagos performance had originally been scheduled for 22 December, but the date no longer appears on the official tour itinerary. Neither Tyla nor her management has publicly explained why the Nigerian stop was removed.
The development follows several days of heated debate in Nigeria, where some social media users urged the Grammy-winning singer to cancel the show amid concerns over recent anti-immigration campaigns in South Africa and reports of attacks targeting Nigerians and other African migrants.
Lagos date disappears from tour schedule.
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WhenTyla unveiled her A*POP World Tour, the schedule included performances across Europe, North America, Nigeria and South Africa. Lagos was set to host the singer on 22 December, before the tour concluded with shows in Cape Town on 4 January and Johannesburg on 9 January.
The Lagos stop has since disappeared from the latest tour schedule, fuelling speculation that the concert has been cancelled.
Neither Tyla nor her representatives have issued a statement explaining the change or confirming whether the show has been postponed, cancelled or could be rescheduled.
“The Lagos date no longer appears on Tyla’s official A*POP World Tour schedule.”
The concert became the centre of online debate.
The planned concert quickly became a talking point online after renewed tensions over immigration in South Africa.
Some Nigerians argued that the concert should not go ahead while reports of attacks against Nigerians and other African migrants continued to emerge. They called on fellow citizens to boycott the event as a show of solidarity.
Among the most vocal critics was Nigerian social media commentator VeryDarkMan, who publicly declared that there would be no Tyla concert in Nigeria.
Author Solomon Buchi and several other public figures also supported calls for a boycott.
“Calls to boycott the concert centred on concerns over anti-immigrant violence involving Nigerians in South Africa.”
Others argued music should remain separate.
Not everyone agreed with the boycott campaign.
Some Nigerians maintained that Tyla should not be held personally responsible for political or social tensions between the two countries. They argued that artists should not become the focus of diplomatic disputes and that music should remain separate from government policies and immigration issues.
The differing opinions sparked widespread discussion across social media, with supporters and critics sharing contrasting views on the singer’s planned visit before the Lagos date was eventually removed.
Wider diplomatic backdrop
The debate unfolded as Nigeria and South Africa continued diplomatic engagement over the safety of foreign nationals.
Nigerians have been among those affected by tensions in South Africa in recent months, prompting discussions between senior officials from both countries aimed at easing the situation.
Several African governments have also organised the repatriation of citizens following unrest linked to immigration issues.
South African authorities have rejected allegations that the incidents amount to xenophobia, maintaining that migration is a broader challenge requiring regional and continental solutions.
Tour continues despite Lagos removal.
Despite the removal of Lagos, Tylais still expected to conclude the A*POP World Tour with performances in Cape Town and Johannesburg in January.
For now, fans are waiting for an official explanation from the singer or her management regarding the missing Lagos date.
