South African Grammy-winning singer Tyla Laura Seethal, professionally known as Tyla, has removed the Lagos stop from the schedule of the APOP World Tour, days after the planned 22 December performance became the focus of boycott calls linked to renewed concerns over xenophobic attacks against Nigerians in South Africa.
The revised itinerary on Tyla’s official website no longer includes Lagos, although the remaining dates across Europe, North America and South Africa remain unchanged.
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The move follows the announcement earlier this week of Tyla’s first headline world tour in support of her second studio album, APOP*.
When the tour was unveiled, Lagos had been listed as the only Nigerian stop before performances in Cape Town on 4 January and Johannesburg on 9 January 2027.
Neither Tyla nor her management has publicly explained why the Lagos concert disappeared from the official schedule.
Concert promoters have also not announced whether the show has been cancelled or postponed, leaving fans and ticket buyers awaiting clarification.
The development came after a wave of criticism on Nigerian social media, where some users argued that hosting a South African artist while reports of attacks on Nigerians continued would send the wrong message.
Others maintained that entertainers should not be held responsible for political tensions or criminal acts committed by individuals.
Activist Martins Otse, widely known as VeryDarkMan, escalated the controversy by declaring on Facebook that the concert “will not be happening in Nigeria” and urging solidarity against xenophobic violence. “We are standing in solidarity to say no to the promoters and celebrities from South Africa who have refused to speak up against these attacks,” Martins Otse wrote.
The calls for a boycott were not universally supported. African Action Congress presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore argued that public anger should not be directed at the artist herself. “No one should hold a talented musician like @Tyllaaaaaaa vicariously liable for the crimes of xenophobia,” Omoyele Sowore wrote on X, adding that “Tyla’s Lagos concert must go on.”
The controversy unfolded against the backdrop of renewed reports of alleged xenophobic attacks in South Africa, including claims surrounding the death of Nigerian national Chika Ibe in Cape Town.
The incidents have reignited long-standing concerns over the safety of foreign African nationals living in South Africa and prompted fresh diplomatic and public debate.
For Tyla, the decision represents an unexpected setback to what had been promoted as a landmark global tour.
The 24-year-old singer recently released APOP*, her sophomore album, and embarked on her most ambitious international tour after earlier plans for a major tour in 2024 were cancelled because of injury.
The world tour also follows the remarkable international success of “Water”, which earned Tyla the first Grammy Award for Best African Music Performance and established her among Africa’s most recognisable global music stars.
Also read: Tyla brings APOP world tour to Lagos on December 22
Whether the Lagos date will return to the schedule remains uncertain. Until Tyla’s team or the event promoters provide an official explanation, the removal is likely to fuel further speculation as both Nigerian fans and the wider African music industry watch for the next development.
David Okere is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering business, governance, public affairs, and human-interest stories with a commitment to accuracy, balance, and public interest reporting.
