South African singer Tyla has removed Lagos, Nigeria, from the schedule of her upcoming A*POP World Tour, days after the concert sparked heated debate on social media over tensions linked to xenophobic attacks against Nigerians in South Africa.
A review of the artist’s official tour schedule on Friday showed that the December 22, 2026, Lagos performance was no longer listed among the tour dates. The remaining concerts across Europe, North America and South Africa remained unchanged.
Neither Tyla nor her management had issued an official statement explaining why the Nigerian stop was removed from the itinerary at the time of publication. It also remains unclear whether the show has been cancelled, postponed or could be reinstated at a later date.
The Lagos concert had initially been announced as one of only three African dates on Tyla’s global tour, alongside performances in Cape Town and Johannesburg. The announcement was welcomed by many fans but also prompted criticism from some Nigerians on social media, where users questioned the decision to perform in the country amid renewed discussions about the treatment of Nigerians living in South Africa.
In recent days, some online users called for a boycott of the Lagos concert, arguing that South African entertainers should publicly condemn xenophobic violence before staging performances in Nigeria. Others defended the Grammy Award-winning singer, maintaining that artists should not be held personally responsible for diplomatic or social tensions between the two countries.
The removal of Lagos from the published tour schedule has fuelled further speculation online. However, neither the artist nor her representatives have linked the change to the backlash, and no official explanation has been provided.
The development has also generated mixed reactions among fans, with some expressing disappointment over the apparent loss of the Nigerian concert, while others called for clarity from the singer’s management regarding the status of the event.
Tyla announced the A*POP World Tour earlier this week in support of her latest album, with performances scheduled across major cities in Europe and North America before concluding with African dates. The tour is expected to mark one of the biggest international concert series of her career.
As of Friday, Lagos was absent from the official itinerary, while the South African concerts remained scheduled to proceed as planned.
The uncertainty surrounding the Nigerian date comes against the backdrop of a long history of cultural exchange between Nigeria and South Africa, despite periodic diplomatic strains arising from xenophobic attacks targeting foreign nationals. Over the years, musicians from both countries have continued to collaborate extensively, with audiences across Africa supporting artists regardless of nationality.
Until Tyla’s management issues a formal statement, the reason for the removal of the Lagos concert remains unknown. Fans who had hoped to attend the performance are expected to await further communication on whether the show has been cancelled permanently or will be rescheduled.