Xenophobia Outrage Sparks Backlash Against Tyla’s Nigeria Show

Nigerians have expressed mixed reactions to the planned Lagos concert of South African singer, Tyla, with many calling for a total boycott over the continued reports of xenophobic attacks against Nigerians in South Africa.

The backlash followed the release of Tyla’s world tour schedule by her management, which includes a performance in Lagos on December 22 before concluding with concerts in Cape Town on January 4 and Johannesburg on January 9.
The announcement quickly generated heated debate on X, where several users argued that the Lagos concert should not hold while allegations of attacks on Nigerians in South Africa remain unresolved. The reactions also came amid reports that Afrobeats star Ayra Starr’s scheduled performance in South Africa was cancelled after she and members of her team were allegedly denied visas shortly before the event.
Reacting to the development, reality TV star and actor Pere Egbi urged the Nigerian Immigration Service to deny Tyla and her team’s visa applications, arguing that Nigeria should reciprocate the treatment allegedly meted out to Nigerian entertainers.
Several social media users echoed similar sentiments. One user, @Phatbabeluu, said Tyla’s planned concert in Lagos despite the xenophobia concerns showed that Nigerians “don’t stand for anything.” Another user, @Miz_Fey, insisted that any Nigerian who attends the concert would be supporting the wrong cause.
Another X user, @FtoniaUc, maintained that no South African artist should be allowed to stage concerts in Nigeria while Nigerians continue to face attacks in South Africa. The user added that anyone buying tickets to the concert, including the organisers, should be ashamed.
Similarly, @BighomieRay urged Nigerians to reject the concert, alleging that South African authorities had recently killed a Nigerian and lamenting that no South African celebrity had publicly condemned the incident.
Some users also criticised Tyla for not publicly speaking against the alleged xenophobic attacks. According to @Momobtw__, the singer had remained silent on xenophobia while scheduling a tour stop in Lagos.
However, not everyone supported the boycott campaign. @Emmanuel113548 argued that Nigerians’ admiration for Tyla should not be mistaken for support for xenophobia, insisting that their appreciation was for the artiste and not South Africa.
Another user, @cea9275, described the boycott campaign as misguided, arguing that political issues should not prevent musicians from performing in another country. The user also questioned why critics had not condemned Nigerian artistes who collaborate with South African musicians.
Also weighing in, @DoyeenOfLagos questioned why the government was being blamed instead of the concert organisers and those planning to attend the event, insisting that individuals should also take responsibility for their actions.
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