Bola Ahmed Tinubu, accompanied by the First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, will depart Abuja on Tuesday, March 17, for a State Visit to the United Kingdom at the invitation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla.
King Charles III will host President Tinubu and his wife at Windsor Castle from Wednesday, March 18, to Thursday, March 19.
The trip marks the first state visit to the United Kingdom by a Nigerian leader in 37 years and also makes Tinubu the first Nigerian president to be received by the British monarch at Windsor Castle.
Nigeria and the United Kingdom share long-standing diplomatic and historical ties, and the visit is expected to further strengthen bilateral relations while exploring cooperation in areas such as immigration, trade, investment and cultural exchange.
In a statement, presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga said that while at Windsor Castle, the Nigerian president and the First Lady would be invited by the British monarch to view a special exhibition from the Royal Collection featuring items connected to Nigeria.
“While at Windsor Castle, Their Majesties will invite the President and the First Lady to view a special exhibition of items from the Royal Collection related to Nigeria. Later, the King and the President will hold private discussions and meet with organisations engaged in interfaith dialogue, both nationally and internationally.
“The Royal Family will host a State Banquet in honour of the Nigerian guests in the evening,” the statement said.
President Tinubu is also scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with Keir Starmer at 10 Downing Street.
The meeting is expected to lead to expanded engagement between senior officials of both countries and the signing of several Memoranda of Understanding covering trade, investment, defence and cultural cooperation.
According to the statement, Tinubu will witness the signing of a £746 million financing agreement between UK Export Finance, the Nigerian Ports Authority and the Federal Ministry of Finance.
The financing arrangement will support the refurbishment of two of Nigeria’s key maritime facilities, the Lagos Port Complex and the Tin Can Island Port Complex.
During the visit, Tinubu will also attend the Nigerian Modernism exhibition showcasing Nigerian arts and culture and participate in a reception with Nigerian and British business leaders as well as members of the diaspora community.
Members of the president’s delegation include Godswill Akpabio, Attorney General and Minister of Justice Lateef Fagbemi, Minister of Solid Minerals Dele Alake, Minister of Information and National Orientation Mohammed Idris, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Bianca Ojukwu, and Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy Wale Edun.
Others in the delegation include Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment Jumoke Oduwole, Minister of Culture and Creative Economy Hannatu Musawa, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy Bosun Tijani, Chief of Defence Staff Christopher Musa, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, and Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Mohammed Mohammed.
The statement added that President Tinubu will return to Nigeria after completing the official engagements.
What you should know
State visits are among the highest forms of diplomatic engagement between countries and usually include ceremonial events, high-level meetings and the signing of strategic agreements.
Nigeria and the United Kingdom maintain strong historical and economic ties, with Britain remaining one of Nigeria’s key trade and investment partners.
The visit is expected to deepen cooperation in infrastructure development, maritime trade, security collaboration and cultural exchange between the two nations.
