The South African government has denied reports that Nigerian Afrobeats singer Ayra Starr and members of her team were denied visas to enter the country.
South Africa’s Consul-General to Nigeria, Prof. Bobby Moroe, said the country’s immigration authorities had no record of any visa application or rejection involving the singer or her entourage.
Speaking to journalists, Moroe challenged those behind the claim to provide the names of the affected individuals and their visa application reference numbers to enable the authorities to verify the allegations.
“The immigration said they were not aware of the application or the rejection. What will assist us is if the people who are making these allegations send us the names and reference numbers of Ayra Starr and her team. If they were rejected, we will be able to establish why they were rejected and double-check the claims,” he said.
The controversy comes amid renewed calls for Nigeria to adopt a reciprocal approach in its treatment of South African entertainers seeking to perform in the country.
Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central, had on Thursday, July 29, urged the Federal Government to review visa applications submitted by South African entertainers and their teams.
The senator said Nigeria should consider taking similar measures if it was established that Ayra Starr and her team were indeed denied entry visas by South African authorities.
Reports had claimed that Ayra Starr and members of her team were denied visas in February 2024 ahead of scheduled performances in Johannesburg and Cape Town.
However, the South African government has now disputed the claim, insisting that its immigration authorities have no record of the alleged visa applications or refusals.
Moroe said the relevant details would enable the authorities to establish whether an application was submitted and, if so, determine the reason for any possible rejection.
As of the time of filing this report, Ayra Starr had not publicly responded to the South African government’s request for evidence regarding the alleged visa denial.
