President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is set to undertake a historic two-day state visit to the United Kingdom beginning March 18, becoming the first Nigerian leader to pay a state visit to Britain in 37 years, following an invitation from King Charles III, Buckingham Palace has announced.
The royal communications team confirmed the visit in a statement issued on Saturday, noting that the Nigerian president will be hosted by the British monarch. President Tinubu will be accompanied by his wife, the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
The visit marks a major milestone in Nigeria–United Kingdom relations. The last state visits by Nigerian leaders to the UK were undertaken by General Yakubu Gowon in 1973, President Shehu Shagari in 1981, and General Ibrahim Babangida in 1989.
The Royal Family disclosed the development in a statement posted on X, which read: “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 from Wednesday, 18th March to Thursday, 19th March 2026. The King and Queen will host the State Visit at Windsor Castle.”
In a follow-up post, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, confirmed the visit, describing it as the first UK state visit by a Nigerian leader in nearly four decades. He added that President Tinubu and the First Lady will be hosted by King Charles III and Queen Camilla during the visit.
Although this will be President Tinubu’s first official state visit to the UK since assuming office, it will not be his first engagement with King Charles. Both leaders assumed office in May 2023 and have since met on several occasions.
Tinubu met the monarch in November 2023 ahead of the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai, an encounter he described as significant for deepening bilateral ties. In September 2024, King Charles also hosted the Nigerian president for a private meeting at Buckingham Palace, during which discussions centred on global and regional issues, particularly climate change.
King Charles, while still Prince of Wales, previously visited Nigeria in 1990, 1999, 2006, and 2018.
Buckingham Palace said details of the programme for the state visit will be released at a later date.
