Tyla quietly removes Lagos from 2026 world tour after backlash from Nigerians

• Tyla has removed Lagos from her A*POP World Tour following widespread backlash from Nigerians.

• The controversy was fuelled by renewed xenophobic attacks in South Africa and comparisons with Ayra Starr's cancelled South African show

• Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan and VeryDarkMan were among the public figures who weighed in on the debate.

The singer's updated tour itinerary no longer features the Lagos stop, which had previously been announced as part of the global tour. However, other dates across Europe, North America and South Africa remain unchanged.

Though neither Tyla nor her management has publicly explained why the Lagos date was removed, the development comes after many Nigerians criticised the announcement of the Lagos concert, arguing that it came at a time when disturbing reports of xenophobic attacks against foreign nationals, including Nigerians, were once again making headlines in South Africa.

Several social media users called for a boycott of the show. Many insisted that South African entertainers should not continue to enjoy strong support in Nigeria while Nigerians were allegedly being targeted in parts of South Africa.

The conversation also reignited debates surrounding Nigerian singer Ayra Starr, whose scheduled performances in South Africa were cancelled following visa challenges involving members of her team.

The controversy soon attracted the attention of public figures, including Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. Reacting to reports surrounding Ayra Starr's visa issues, the senator called on Nigerian authorities to adopt a reciprocal approach. She urged the government to show the same level of firmness that South African authorities have been accused of displaying toward Nigerian entertainers. She maintained that her position was about protecting Nigeria's dignity and ensuring fair treatment for its citizens.

The debate further intensified after activist Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, publicly opposed Tyla's planned Lagos performance and urged Nigerians to reject the concert until stronger action was taken against xenophobic attacks.

In contrast, activist Omoyele Sowore argued that holding Tyla personally responsible for others' actions would be unfair.