Tinubu to embark on two-day UK state visit — first by a Nigerian president in 37 years

President Bola Tinubu is set to embark a two-day state visit to the United Kingdom (UK) on March 18, Buckingham Palace has announced.

In a statement on Saturday, the royal communications team said Tinubu’s trip is at the behest of King Charles.

The president will be accompanied by his wife, Oluremi.

It is the first state visit to the UK by a Nigerian leader in 37 years.

The last three Nigerian state visits to the UK were in 1973 by Yakubu Gowon, 1981 by Shehu Shagari, and 1989 by Ibrahim Babangida.

King Charles, then Prince of Wales, visited Nigeria in 1990, 1999, 2006 and 2018.

This will not be the first meeting between Tinubu and King Charles, both of whom assumed office in May 2023.

Tinubu met the British monarch in November 2023 ahead of the 28th United Nations climate change conference (COP28) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The Nigerian president called the meeting a significant step in strengthening the partnership between both countries.

In September 2024, the king received Tinubu at Buckingham Palace for a private meeting.

Bayo Onanugua, presidential spokesperson, said both leaders discussed global and regional matters of shared priority, focusing on the urgent and complex challenge of climate change.

The royal communications team said further details of Tinubu’s state visit programme will be announced in due course.