Senator Natasha Calls for Reciprocal Visa Measures Over Ayra Starr's South Africa Treatment
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has called on the federal government to review visa applications of South African artistes under the principle of reciprocity, following reports that Nigerian singer Ayra Starr and members of her team were denied entry visas into South Africa.
Senator Natasha Calls for Reciprocal Visa Measures Over Ayra Starr's South Africa Treatment
The Kogi Central senator made the call in a statement shared on her social media pages on Thursday, July 30, 2026, amid growing diplomatic tensions between Nigeria and South Africa over the treatment of Nigerian citizens abroad.
She urged the Nigeria Immigration Service and the Federal Government to verify the circumstances surrounding the reported visa denial and, if confirmed, adopt equivalent diplomatic measures until Nigerians receive fair treatment.
"I call on the Nigeria Immigration Service and the Federal Government of Nigeria to review the visa applications of South African artistes and their entourages in accordance with the principle of reciprocity in foreign policy," she wrote.
The senator clarified that her position was not directed at South African singer Tyla personally, whose planned Lagos concert has become the subject of heated online debate following reports of renewed xenophobic attacks against Nigerians in South Africa.
"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," she said.
She stressed that reciprocity remains a recognised instrument of diplomacy and should guide Nigeria's response whenever its citizens face discriminatory or unjust treatment abroad.
The call comes amid heightened tensions following the federal government's repatriation of 1,490 Nigerians from South Africa this year after a wave of xenophobic violence.
The government has also demanded a transparent investigation into the death of Ibeh Chika Simon, a Nigerian who died during a South African police operation in Cape Town, with videos showing officers allegedly assaulting him.
The controversy has also seen Tyla quietly remove Lagos from her APop World Tour schedule following widespread calls for a boycott, though neither she nor her management has issued an official statement explaining the decision.
Source: TrendyBeatz
