By Balogun Fisayo
Nigerians have taken to social media to express anger over South African singer Tyla’s planned concert in Lagos amid renewed concerns over xenophobic attacks targeting Nigerians and other African migrants in South Africa.
Tyla, the Grammy-winning South African singer, recently announced her APOP World Tour, which includes a performance in Lagos on December 22, 2026. The Lagos concert is scheduled as part of her 34-date world tour promoting her latest album, APOP.
The announcement has generated mixed reactions among Nigerians, with some fans expressing excitement about the singer’s arrival while others have called for a boycott of the concert.
The backlash is coming at a time of heightened tension between Nigeria and South Africa following reports of attacks on Nigerians and other foreign nationals in South Africa.
Nigeria has recently urged the South African government to take stronger measures to protect Nigerians living in the country.
The Nigerian government said the recurring attacks were damaging relations between the two countries, while South African authorities have maintained that xenophobia and discrimination are not supported by the government.
The violence has also led Nigeria to repatriate citizens from South Africa. About 1,490 Nigerians were repatriated following the recent unrest, according to Nigeria’s foreign ministry.
Against this background, some Nigerians have questioned why a South African artiste should be welcomed to perform in Lagos while Nigerians are reportedly facing hostility and violence in her home country.
On social media, some users called on Nigerians to boycott Tyla’s concert, arguing that purchasing tickets would amount to financially supporting a South African artiste while tensions over the treatment of Nigerians remain unresolved.
Others, however, disagreed with the boycott campaign. They argued that Tyla should not automatically be held responsible for the actions of individuals or groups in South Africa and that entertainment should not necessarily be used as a tool for diplomatic retaliation.
The debate has also focused on Tyla’s silence over the reported attacks. Some Nigerians have criticized the singer for not publicly speaking against the xenophobic violence, while others believe that her personal views should not be assumed simply because she is South African.
With Tyla’s Lagos concert still scheduled for December, the growing debate has placed the event at the centre of discussions about xenophobia, national solidarity and the relationship between entertainment and international tensions.
Whether the boycott campaign will affect attendance at the concert remains uncertain, but the controversy has already turned Tyla’s planned Lagos performance into more than an entertainment event, with many Nigerians viewing it through the lens of the ongoing xenophobia dispute.
