President Bola Tinubu and First Lady Oluremi Tinubu will undertake a two-day state visit to the United Kingdom from March 18 to 19, following an invitation from King Charles III.
The announcement was made on Sunday via the official X handle of the British royal family, confirming that the Nigerian leader and his wife will be formally hosted by King Charles and Queen Camilla at Windsor Castle.
“The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Mr Bola Ahmed Tinubu, accompanied by the First Lady, Mrs Oluremi Tinubu, has accepted an invitation from His Majesty the King to pay a state visit to the United Kingdom… The King and Queen will host the state visit at Windsor Castle,” the statement read.
According to Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, the trip will mark the first state visit by a Nigerian leader to the UK in 37 years. The last was in 1989, when former Military President Ibrahim Babangida was hosted by the late Queen Elizabeth II.
During Babangida’s visit, Nigeria conferred its highest national honour, the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR), on the Queen. Earlier, Yakubu Gowon and Shehu Shagari also undertook state visits to the UK.
The BBC described state visits as a blend of royal ceremony and diplomacy, designed to strengthen ties with key international partners.
Tinubu and King Charles have met several times since both assumed office in May 2023. Their engagements include a meeting in Dubai ahead of COP28 in November 2023 and another at Buckingham Palace in September 2024.
King Charles has longstanding ties with Nigeria, having visited the country four times as Prince of Wales in 1990, 1999, 2006, and 2018. His wife, Camilla, joined him during the 2018 trip.
In 2023, The King’s Trust International launched operations in Nigeria, unveiling programmes aimed at tackling youth unemployment.
