Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, has ignited a fresh diplomatic debate by calling on the Federal Government and the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) to review the visa applications of South African artistes and their entourages, invoking the principle of reciprocity in foreign policy following reports that Nigerian singer Ayra Starr and members of her team were denied entry into South Africa. In a statement shared on her social media pages on Thursday, July 30, 2026, the lawmaker urged Nigeria to adopt equivalent diplomatic measures if the reported visa denial is confirmed, insisting that the country must not remain passive when its citizens face discriminatory treatment abroad.
The senator's call comes amid heightened tensions between Nigeria and South Africa over the treatment of Nigerian nationals, including a wave of xenophobic violence that has forced the federal government to repatriate 1,490 Nigerians from South Africa this year alone. It also follows growing public outrage over reports that Grammy-nominated singer Ayra Starr cancelled scheduled engagements in South Africa after members of her team were allegedly denied entry visas, an incident that has reignited conversations about the treatment of Nigerian travellers and entertainers by South African authorities.
In her statement, Senator Natasha made it clear that her position was not directed at South African Grammy-winning singer Tyla personally, whose planned performance in Lagos has recently become the subject of online debate and boycott calls. Rather, she framed her demand as a matter of diplomatic principle. "This is not a call against Tyla as an individual. Rather, it is a call for Nigeria to uphold the principle of mutual respect that underpins international relations. Reciprocity is a recognised instrument of diplomacy," she wrote. She added: "If it is confirmed that our Nigerian artiste Ayra Starr and her team were denied entry visas to South Africa, leading to the cancellation of their engagements, then Nigeria should respond with equivalent measures until Nigerian citizens and artistes are accorded fair and respectful treatment."
The senator stressed that Nigeria's foreign policy must actively protect the dignity of its citizens wherever they are. "When our citizens face discriminatory or unjust treatment abroad, Nigeria must demonstrate that such actions carry corresponding consequences. Our foreign policy should protect the dignity of Nigerians everywhere and ensure that respect between nations is mutual, not one-sided," she stated. Her comments were issued amid growing campaigns on social media urging a boycott of Tyla's Lagos concert, with many Nigerians linking the event to renewed outrage over xenophobic attacks against their compatriots in South Africa.
The call for reciprocity comes against a grim backdrop of diplomatic tensions. Last week, the federal government demanded a transparent investigation into the death of Ibeh Chika Simon, a Nigerian who died during a South African police operation in Bellville, Cape Town, after videos showed officers allegedly assaulting him. The Nigerian Consulate General in Johannesburg condemned the incident, saying it came after another Nigerian, Patrick Chuks Egwabor, was shot and seriously injured, while describing the cases as part of a disturbing pattern of unresolved extrajudicial killings and misconduct against foreign nationals.
The federal government has also repatriated 1,490 Nigerians from South Africa this year following a wave of xenophobic violence, with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterating that xenophobia, racial intolerance, and violence against foreign nationals are unacceptable. The treatment of Nigerians in South Africa has been a recurring source of friction between Africa's two largest economies, with Nigeria demanding that South Africa take concrete steps to address the violence and protect foreign nationals.
Senator Natasha's proposal to review visa applications of South African artistes has drawn mixed reactions. Some have welcomed the call as a necessary diplomatic tool to compel South Africa to treat Nigerian citizens with dignity, while others have cautioned that such measures could further strain bilateral relations and harm cultural exchanges. The senator, however, insisted that reciprocity is a recognised instrument of diplomacy and should guide Nigeria's response whenever its citizens face discriminatory or unjust treatment abroad.
The reported visa denial involving Ayra Starr has not been independently verified by Nigerian or South African authorities, and at the time of this report, neither government had issued an official statement on the matter. However, the incident has already had tangible consequences: Tyla, the South African singer whose Lagos concert was scheduled to hold, has reportedly bowed to pressure and dropped Lagos from her world tour following boycott calls, according to Tribune Online.
The broader context of Nigeria-South Africa relations remains fraught. The two countries have maintained 32 years of diplomatic relations, but recurring xenophobic attacks have tested that bond. Nigeria has documented the deaths of 98 of its citizens in South Africa since 2022 alone and has demanded that Pretoria ratify the Memorandum of Understanding on the Early Warning Mechanism signed in October 2025 to monitor threats of violence and protect citizens. President Bola Tinubu recently declined to personally receive a South African delegation sent by President Cyril Ramaphosa, directing them instead to meet with a junior minister, a diplomatic snub that underscored Nigeria's frustration.
As the debate over reciprocity continues, Senator Natasha's call for Nigeria to review visa applications of South African artistes has added a new dimension to the ongoing diplomatic standoff. Whether the federal government will act on her recommendation remains to be seen, but her intervention has ensured that the issue of reciprocity—and the broader question of how Nigeria should respond to the mistreatment of its citizens abroad—will remain at the forefront of public discourse. For now, the senator's message is clear: Nigeria must no longer be a passive bystander in the face of discriminatory treatment. As she put it, "Respect between nations must be mutual, not one-sided."
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