- The South African Consul-General to Nigeria denied any record of a visa application or rejection involving Ayra Starr and her team
- Nigerian politicians and celebrities had called on the Federal Government to bar South African artists from performing in Nigeria
- Tyla’s Lagos concert date was quietly removed from her APOP World Tour schedule amid public outrage over xenophobic attacks on Nigerians
South Africa’s Consul-General to Nigeria, Prof Bobby Moroe, has pushed back against widespread claims that Nigerian Afrobeats singer Ayra Starr and her team were refused entry visas to South Africa, stating that immigration authorities have no record of any such application or rejection.
Moroe, speaking in an interview published by The Punch on Saturday, said he could not confirm what he could not verify, and called on those making the allegations to provide the names and visa application reference numbers of the affected individuals so the mission could investigate properly.
Source: Instagram
The denial comes in the wake of a heated public debate sparked by Grammy-winning South African singer Tyla’s announcement of her APOP World Tour, which originally listed Lagos as the sole Nigerian stop on the itinerary.
Nigerians push back on Tyla’s Lagos concert
Tyla’s tour announcement triggered a wave of backlash from Nigerian public figures who argued that welcoming South African artists while Nigerians faced xenophobic violence in South Africa sent the wrong message.
Activist Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, threatened to physically block the concert through his “Ratel Movement.”
Writer Solomon Buchi urged Nigerians to reject the tour, citing Tyla’s silence during attacks that he said cost Nigerians their lives, businesses and livelihoods.
Singer Jaywon went so far as to describe any Nigerian who attended as an “illegitimate citizen,” while On-Air Personality Do2dtun also voiced his opposition.
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, escalated the matter further by calling on the Federal Government and the Nigeria Immigration Service to deny Tyla and her entourage entry into Nigeria altogether, invoking the principle of reciprocity and pointing directly to Ayra Starr’s reported visa ordeal.
Former Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole also weighed in, urging a review of visa applications from South African artists.
Ayra Starr’s 2024 concert cancellation revisited
At the centre of the debate is an incident from February 2024, when concert organisers Steyn Entertainment cancelled Ayra Starr‘s scheduled shows in Johannesburg and Cape Town.
The company’s Managing Director, Dale De Ruig, said in a statement at the time that visas had been denied “despite exploring every avenue possible,” adding that full refunds would be processed through Quicket within seven business days.
It is this cancellation that Nigerian politicians cited as justification for reciprocal action against South African artists.
Source: Instagram
Tyla removes Nigeria from her APOP World Tour schedule
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that a check on Friday, July 31, 2026, confirmed that Tyla’s Lagos concert date had been removed from her official tour website.
Dates across Europe, North America and South Africa remained intact on the updated schedule.
Neither Tyla nor her management had issued any statement addressing the removal at the time of this report.
Source: Legit.ng