Burna Boy Briefly Delayed at Morocco Airport Ahead of AFCON Show

Just hours before he was scheduled to headline the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Fan Zone concert in Rabat, Grammy-winning Nigerian artist Burna Boy experienced a brief setback upon arriving in Morocco.

The incident was confirmed by CAF President Patrice Motsepe, who spoke about it during a recent press conference.

According to Motsepe, Burna Boy was temporarily stopped by customs officials at the airport due to an issue related to his jewellery.

He explained that customs officers noticed the musician was wearing heavy gold jewellery, which prompted additional checks.

“Recently I was called that I needed to intervene because Burna Boy was stopped at the airport after customs officers noticed his heavy and beautiful gold jewellery. I intervened and it was resolved,” Motsepe said.

He added that the matter was handled amicably, with no further complications.

Despite the brief delay, the situation did not affect the event schedule.

On January 16, Burna Boy successfully headlined the AFCON Fan Zone concert in Rabat, delivering his performance as planned.

The event also featured performances from:

• Moroccan artists Stormy and Jaylann

• Ghanaian singer Stonebwoy

The concert formed part of AFCON’s broader effort to blend football with African music and culture.

The Burna Boy AFCON performance highlighted the tournament’s growing focus on entertainment as a unifying force across the continent.

By bringing together artists from different African countries, the Fan Zone concerts continue to reinforce AFCON’s identity as more than just a football competition.