South African Grammy-winning singer Tyla Laura Seethal, popularly known as Tyla, has removed Lagos from the schedule of her APOP World Tour following widespread calls by some Nigerians to boycott her planned concert over renewed xenophobic attacks against Nigerians in South Africa.

A review of the tour schedule on the singer’s official website on Friday confirmed that the Lagos concert, earlier fixed for December 22, is no longer part of the itinerary.

While performances across Europe, North America and South Africa remain unchanged, Nigeria has been dropped from the updated list.

The decision comes days after Tyla announced Lagos as the only Nigerian destination on the tour before its final shows in Cape Town on January 4 and Johannesburg on January 9, a move that sparked mixed reactions online.

Many Nigerians opposed the planned concert, insisting that South African artistes should not be welcomed to perform in the country while reports of attacks on Nigerians in South Africa persist. Others, however, argued that entertainers should not be blamed for political or social developments beyond their control.

Amid the debate, the 2027 presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore, rejected the boycott campaign, maintaining that Tyla should not be held responsible for xenophobic violence.

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“Nigerians should direct their anger at their real enemies… No one should hold a talented musician like @Tyllaaaaaaa vicariously liable for the crimes of xenophobia,” Sowore wrote on X, adding that “Tyla’s Lagos concert must go on.”

The controversy later intensified after activist Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, threatened to mobilise members of his “Ratel Movement” to prevent the concert from taking place.

In a post on his Facebook page, VeryDarkMan wrote, “TYLA SHOW WILL NOT BE HAPPENING IN NIGERIA.

“This is a message to SOUTH AFRICANS. WE ARE AFRICANS AND WE DONT UNALIVE OUR OWN, since you people have taken it upon yourselves to unalive other Africans because according to you guys other African nationalities living in South Africa are taking your jobs.

“WE ARE STANDING IN SOLIDARITY TO SAY NO TO THE PROMOTERS AND CELEBRITIES FROM SOUTH AFRICA WHO HAVE REFUSED TO SPEAK UP AGAINST THESE ATTACKS ON OTHER AFRICANS LIVING IN SOUTH AFRICA.

“#NOTOXENOPHOBICATTACKS #ratelmovement SAYNOTOXENOPHOBICATTACKS.”

The development comes against the backdrop of renewed concerns over the safety of Nigerians living in South Africa following reports of fresh xenophobic attacks and the deaths of Nigerian nationals, including Chika Ibe in Cape Town.