South African singer Tyla has withdrawn her concert in Lagos, Nigeria from her tour amid tensions related to xenophobic violence in her country.

In South Africa, violent crackdowns have resulted in the deaths of foreign nationals accused of taking jobs from South Africans. The Nigerian government has criticized the handling of this crisis, which has exacerbated tensions between the two countries.

South African singer-songwriter Tyla(New window) has withdrawn a planned concert in Nigeria from her tour, amid a diplomatic dispute between Pretoria and Abuja related to violence against immigrants in South Africa.

No explanation has been given for this change of schedule, which comes after Nigerian internet users called for a boycott of the concert on social media.

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In recent weeks, protests and violence, sometimes deadly, against foreigners, accused of taking jobs from South Africans, have shaken the country.

The governments of Nigeria and Ghana have been the most vocal in their criticism of the South African government's handling of the xenophobic protests. Tensions were palpable this week during a meeting between senior officials from Abuja and Pretoria at the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Tyla, known for hits such as Water and for her collaborations with American artists Cardi B and Travis Scott, announced on July 27 the stages of the world tour for her second album, A*pop, with concerts including in Lagos, the economic capital of Nigeria, as well as in New York (USA), Paris (France) and Cape Town (South Africa).

On the morning of July 31, the Lagos leg of the tour, scheduled during the New Year's festivities known in Nigeria as "Detty December," disappeared from the calendar on the artist's website. When contacted by AFP, Tyla's team had not yet responded.

A resurgence of violence

South Africa, the continent's largest economy, has long been a destination for African workers, both documented and undocumented. Faced with an unemployment rate exceeding 30%, the country has experienced repeated waves of xenophobic and anti-migrant protests, with a resurgence of violence in recent weeks.

South African authorities say at least four foreign nationals have been killed in attacks linked to anti-immigrant protests. However, several African governments that have repatriated their citizens report a higher death toll. More than 160,000 people have left South Africa since the end of May, according to an AFP tally based on figures provided by African governments that have organized repatriations, including approximately 1,500 Nigerians.