Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has called on the Federal Government and the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to review visa applications by South African artistes and their entourages in line with the principle of reciprocity, amid growing diplomatic tensions over the treatment of Nigerian entertainers in South Africa.
The senator, who represents Kogi Central Senatorial District, made the call in a statement issued on Friday against the backdrop of the controversy surrounding South African singer Tyla's cancelled Lagos concert and allegations that Nigerian singer Ayra Starr and members of her team were previously denied visas to South Africa.
Akpoti-Uduaghan argued that Nigeria should not ignore what she described as unfair treatment of its citizens abroad, insisting that the country's foreign policy should be anchored on mutual respect.
She urged immigration authorities to review visa requests from South African entertainers using the same standards allegedly applied to Nigerian artistes seeking entry into South Africa.
According to the lawmaker, if reports that Ayra Starr and her team were denied South African visas, resulting in the cancellation of scheduled performances, are confirmed, Nigeria should adopt equivalent measures until its citizens are treated fairly.
She maintained that reciprocal action would send a clear message that discriminatory treatment of Nigerians would not be tolerated.
The senator, however, clarified that her position was not directed at Tyla or any South African entertainer personally.
Rather, she said, the call was aimed at ensuring that Nigeria's diplomatic engagements are guided by fairness and equality.
Akpoti-Uduaghan described reciprocity as a well-established principle in international relations, arguing that countries are entitled to respond proportionately when their citizens are subjected to discriminatory treatment abroad.
She further urged the Federal Government to prioritise the protection of Nigerians wherever they reside, stressing that respect between nations must be mutual.
Her comments come only hours after Tyla removed Lagos from the itinerary of her APOP World Tour, where she had been scheduled to perform on December 22.
The development followed widespread calls by some Nigerians to boycott the concert over renewed reports of xenophobic attacks against Nigerians and other African nationals living in South Africa.
A check of the singer's official tour schedule on Friday confirmed that the Lagos performance had been removed, while all other dates across Europe, North America and South Africa remained unchanged.
The debate over the concert intensified after social media activist Martins Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan, threatened to mobilise members of his Ratel Movement to prevent the event from taking place, insisting that South African artistes should not perform in Nigeria while Nigerians allegedly continued to face attacks in South Africa.
However, African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate for the 2027 election, Omoyele Sowore, opposed the boycott campaign, arguing that Tyla should not be blamed for acts of xenophobia and urging Nigerians to direct their grievances at those responsible.
Neither Tyla nor her management has explained the removal of Lagos from the tour schedule, while the concert promoters have yet to state whether the event has been cancelled or postponed.
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