RismadarVoice Reporters, August 1, 2026
The South African government has rejected reports that Nigerian singer Ayra Starr and members of her team were denied visas to enter the country.
South African Consul-General to Nigeria, Prof. Bobby Moroe, said on Friday that immigration authorities had no record of any visa application or rejection involving the singer or her team.
Moroe, who said this on Saturday, urged anyone claiming that visas were denied to provide the names of the affected individuals and their visa application reference numbers so the South African mission could investigate and verify the allegations.
The development follows reactions from some Nigerian public figures, including former Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who called on the Federal Government to consider reviewing visa applications submitted by South African artistes and their entourages.
The calls were based on the principle of reciprocity amid the controversy surrounding the reported visa difficulties involving Ayra Starr.
The issue has also coincided with South African singer Tyla cancelling her planned Lagos performance, adding to speculation and public debate over relations between Nigerian and South African entertainment industries.
However, South Africa’s diplomatic mission has maintained that it has no record of Ayra Starr or her team being refused visas and has requested documentary details to establish what actually occurred.
