Tyla Cancels Lagos Performance on World Tour Amid Online Controversy

Tyla (South African singer and songwriter)

South African pop sensation Tyla has quietly removed Lagos from her upcoming APop World Tour itinerary following significant online backlash tied to reports of renewed xenophobic tensions between Nigeria and South Africa.

The Grammy Award-winning artist initially revealed her tour dates on Monday, featuring a scheduled performance in Lagos on December 22 alongside stops across North America, Europe, and South Africa.

The announcement, however, drew sharp criticism on Nigerian social media, with several users objecting to the show amid ongoing reports of violence targeting Nigerians in South Africa. The online discourse quickly reignited historical diplomatic tensions, prompting calls from some quarters to boycott the Lagos concert. Conversely, other commentators maintained that artists should not be held accountable for geopolitical disputes, arguing that entertainment should remain separate from political conflict.

Prominent figures also weighed in on the issue; media personality Do2dtun targeted the concert's local promoters, while activist Omoyele Sowore advised the public to direct their grievances toward political leaders rather than the performer.

While neither Tyla nor her management team has issued an official statement regarding the situation, a review of the official ticketing platform confirms that the December 22 Lagos date has been removed. The updated schedule currently features only her international dates, including performances in Cape Town on January 4 and Johannesburg on January 9.

It remains unclear whether the Lagos show has been permanently canceled or postponed to a later date.