Tyla Lagos Concert Sparks Xenophobia Boycott Debate

South African Grammy winner Tyla’s planned Lagos concert on 22 December has ignited a fierce debate. Some Nigerians demand a boycott over recurring xenophobic attacks on their compatriots in South Africa. Others, including a law firm and activist Omoyele Sowore, insist the anger belongs with governments, not an individual artist.

Published 31 Jul 2026, 9:58am WAT

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South African singer Tyla’s announcement of a Lagos stop on her A*POP World Tour on 22 December 2026 has triggered sharp division among Nigerians, with some calling for a full boycott in response to ongoing xenophobic violence against Nigerians and other African migrants in South Africa.

Critics argue that welcoming the Grammy-winning artist while reports of attacks and deaths continue is insensitive. Media personality Do2dtun urged Nigerian Immigration to deny visas to Tyla and her team. Author Solomon Buchi and content creator Buchi Laba contended that Tyla’s silence on the violence makes her performance unacceptable, framing the concert as an imbalance: South Africans attack Africans yet seek to profit from African audiences.

A counter-view rejects collective guilt. Law firm DACO LP Africa, in a statement by Managing Partner Damilare Adenola, described the boycott calls as misplaced. It argued that Tyla, as an individual, retains the right to work and perform under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. No evidence links her to the violence, the firm said. Accountability, it insisted, rests with the South African government for failing to protect migrants and the Nigerian government for weak diplomatic response. The firm noted that Nigerian artists routinely perform in South Africa and that cultural exchange should not be sacrificed for governmental failures.

Activist Omoyele Sowore echoed this position, directing blame at “criminal leaders” in both countries rather than the musician. He stated that artistes should not be held liable for political failures absent clear evidence of complicity.

The controversy sits against a long pattern of strained Nigeria–South Africa relations marked by repeated cycles of xenophobic attacks, official condemnations, and limited lasting resolution. While the concert remains scheduled, the public reaction has exposed unresolved questions of reciprocity, state responsibility, and whether cultural events can or should be leveraged as instruments of protest.

No official statement from Tyla or her management addressing the specific calls has been issued as of the latest reports.