Nigerians call for boycott of Tyla's Lagos concert over renewed xenophobic attacks in South Africa

• Nigerians are calling on fellow citizens to boycott Tyla's Lagos concert following renewed xenophobic attacks in South Africa.

• The campaign gained momentum after author Solomon Buchi questioned the singer's silence over the attacks.

• The Nigerian government has urged South African authorities to protect Nigerians and prosecute those responsible for the violence.

• Tyla has not publicly responded to the boycott campaign, and her Lagos concert remains scheduled for December 22, 2026.

Calls are growing on social media for Nigerians to boycott South African singer Tyla's scheduled concert in Lagos following renewed xenophobic attacks against Nigerians and other African migrants in South Africa.

The Grammy-winning singer recently announced that her A*POP World Tour will stop in Lagos on December 22, 2026, but the announcement has been met with mixed reactions online, with many Nigerians urging fans not to attend the concert in protest over the attacks in South Africa.

The boycott campaign gained momentum after Nigerian author and media personality Solomon Buchi questioned Tyla's silence over the attacks and urged Nigerians to withhold support for the singer until the safety of Nigerians in South Africa improves.

Several users on X and other social media platforms echoed similar sentiments, arguing that it would be inappropriate to support a South African artiste while Nigerians continue to face violence in the country. Some also called on event organisers to reconsider the concert.

The renewed outrage follows reports of attacks targeting Nigerians and other foreign nationals in parts of South Africa, prompting concern from the Nigerian government.

Earlier this week, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it had engaged South African authorities over the attacks, urging them to protect Nigerians living in the country and ensure those responsible are brought to justice.

South African authorities have condemned the violence, saying criminal acts against foreign nationals would not be tolerated. The government has also maintained that the attacks are not state-sponsored and pledged to strengthen efforts to protect all residents regardless of nationality.

However, not everyone supports the boycott campaign. Human rights activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore criticised the calls to boycott Tyla, arguing that musicians should not be blamed for the actions of criminals or government failures.

According to Sowore, the focus should instead be on holding political leaders accountable for preventing xenophobic violence and protecting foreign nationals.

As of the time of filing this report, Tyla has not publicly commented on either the boycott campaign or the renewed xenophobic attacks.

The controversy has reignited memories of previous xenophobic attacks in South Africa, particularly those in 2008, 2015 and 2019, which strained diplomatic relations between Africa's two largest economies.

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During the 2019 attacks, several Nigerian entertainers, including Tiwa Savage, cancelled performances in South Africa in solidarity with victims, while protests were staged in Nigeria against South African-owned businesses.

Despite the growing calls for a boycott, there has been no indication that Tyla's Lagos concert has been cancelled, and organisers have yet to issue a statement addressing the controversy.