South Africa Denies Ayra Starr Visa Rejection as Tyla Cancels Lagos Concert Amid Nigeria-South Africa Tensions
By The Telescope International Desk
ABUJA, Nigeria – The diplomatic row between Nigeria and South Africa has deepened following South Africa’s denial that Nigerian Afrobeats star Ayra Starr was ever refused a visa, even as Grammy-winning singer Tyla quietly removed her highly anticipated Lagos concert from her world tour schedule amid mounting backlash over xenophobic attacks against Nigerians.
The controversy has reignited debates over visa reciprocity, xenophobia, diplomatic relations, and the treatment of Nigerian artistes in South Africa, with political leaders, entertainers, and social media users demanding equal treatment for citizens of both countries.
South Africa Challenges Ayra Starr Visa Denial Claims
The South African Consul-General to Nigeria, Prof. Bobby Moroe, has challenged claims that Ayra Starr and members of her team were denied visas to South Africa, insisting that immigration authorities have no record of any visa application or refusal involving the singer.
Speaking on Friday, Moroe urged anyone making the allegation to provide the names of the applicants and their visa reference numbers to enable South African authorities verify the claims.
“Immigration said they were not aware of the application or the rejection. If those making these allegations can provide the names and reference numbers, we will investigate and establish what happened,” the envoy said.
The response follows renewed public outrage after prominent Nigerians, including former Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, called on the Federal Government to apply the principle of visa reciprocity if Nigerian entertainers were unfairly denied entry into South Africa.
How the Ayra Starr Visa Controversy Began
The visa controversy dates back to February 2024, when Ayra Starr was scheduled to headline concerts in Johannesburg and Cape Town.
At the time, the event organisers, Steyn Entertainment, announced that both concerts had been cancelled after the singer and her team allegedly failed to obtain South African visas despite exhausting every available process.
The organisers apologised to fans and promised full refunds, stating that similar visa challenges had affected several West African artistes.
However, South African authorities now say they have no official record confirming that any visa applications were submitted or rejected.
Ayra Starr has not publicly responded to the latest comments from the South African government.
Tyla Drops Lagos from World Tour
As the visa controversy unfolded, South African music sensation Tyla removed Lagos from the list of cities on her upcoming APOP World Tour, sparking fresh speculation over growing diplomatic tensions between both countries.
The Lagos concert, initially scheduled for December 22, was expected to mark Tyla’s first major headline performance in Nigeria.
A review of the singer’s official tour website showed that while performances across Europe, North America, Johannesburg and Cape Town remain on the schedule, the Lagos stop has been removed without explanation.
Neither Tyla nor her management has issued any statement explaining the cancellation.
Nigerians Boycott Tyla Over Xenophobia
Before the cancellation, Tyla faced widespread criticism from many Nigerians over her perceived silence regarding repeated xenophobic attacks against Nigerians living in South Africa.
The backlash intensified following reports of the killing of Nigerian national Chika Ibe in Cape Town, with many Nigerians calling for stronger solidarity from South African public figures.
Several public personalities openly opposed the concert.
Social media activist Martins Vincent Otse (VeryDarkMan) vowed to mobilise supporters to stop the performance, while media personality Do2dtun urged the Nigeria Immigration Service to deny visas to Tyla and her entourage.
An online petition calling for the singer to be barred from performing in Nigeria until attacks against Nigerians cease also attracted thousands of supporters.
Social Media Reactions Fuel Diplomatic Tension
Following Tyla’s decision to remove Lagos from her tour, inflammatory comments surfaced on social media, with some South African users calling for the expulsion of Nigerians from South Africa and urging that Nigerian artistes should no longer perform there.
The online exchanges have further heightened tensions between citizens of both countries, raising fresh concerns about xenophobia, migration, and cultural relations.
Nigeria Demands Compensation for Xenophobia Victims
Meanwhile, the Federal Government of Nigeria has renewed its demand that South Africa compensate Nigerians who lost lives, businesses and property during recent xenophobic attacks.
Government sources also confirmed that Nigeria is pressing South Africa to fully implement the Memorandum of Understanding on the Early Warning Mechanism, designed to prevent future attacks on foreign nationals.
The latest diplomatic efforts follow recent bilateral engagements between officials of both countries after South African President Cyril Ramaphosa dispatched a delegation to Abuja to ease growing tensions.
Nigeria-South Africa Relations Under Fresh Scrutiny
Although South African officials insist diplomatic relations remain cordial, the twin controversies surrounding Ayra Starr’s alleged visa denial and Tyla’s cancelled Lagos concert have placed renewed attention on the broader issues of visa fairness, xenophobia, cultural diplomacy, and the future of Nigeria-South Africa relations.
With public pressure mounting on both governments, observers say the handling of these issues could significantly shape cultural exchanges, tourism, entertainment, and diplomatic cooperation between Africa’s two largest economies in the months ahead.
About Author
