Tyla Lagos concert cancelled amid xenophobia backlash

South African Grammy‑winning singer Tyla added a Lagos date to her A*POP World Tour for 22 December 2026. The announcement triggered a surge of outrage in Nigeria, where recent xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa had heightened anti‑South African sentiment. Nigerian social‑media users and influencers launched boycott campaigns, urging the public not to attend and warning that the concert should not proceed.

Prominent voices, including content creator Solomon Buchi, activist VeryDarkMan and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore, publicly called for the show’s cancellation, while a Nigerian law firm defended Tyla’s right to perform. By the end of July, the Lagos stop had disappeared from Tyla’s official itinerary without comment from the artist or her management. The remaining tour dates in Europe, North America and South Africa (Cape Town 4 Jan, Johannesburg 9 Jan) remained unchanged, and the tour continues without a Nigerian stop.

The episode illustrates how cultural events can become flashpoints for broader political tensions, with the Lagos concert’s removal reflecting the fallout from cross‑border xenophobia between Nigeria and South Africa and prompting diplomatic engagement over the dispute.