Nigeria’s President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and First Lady Oluremi Tinubu have accepted an invitation from King Charles III to undertake a state visit to the United Kingdom, marking Nigeria’s first such visit in 37 years.
The visit is scheduled to take place from March 18 to 19 at Windsor Castle, where the Nigerian leader and his wife will be hosted as guests of the King. It represents a significant diplomatic milestone in UK–Nigeria relations, with the last Nigerian state visit to Britain having occurred in 1989.
Although this will be President Tinubu’s first formal state visit to the UK since assuming office, it will not be his first interaction with the British monarch. Tinubu has previously met King Charles following Nigeria’s 2023 general election, shortly after he was sworn in as president.
State visits are the highest level of diplomatic engagement between countries and typically include ceremonial events, high-level bilateral discussions, and opportunities to strengthen cooperation in areas such as trade, security, climate policy, education, and cultural exchange.
Observers say the visit underscores renewed diplomatic engagement between London and Abuja and reflects the strategic importance of Nigeria as Africa’s largest economy and one of the UK’s key partners on the continent. Further details on the programme and outcomes of the visit are expected to be released ahead of the March engagement.
