Olayiwola Matthew
President Bola Tinubu and First Lady Oluremi Tinubu arrived back in Nigeria on Friday, concluding a two-day state visit to the United Kingdom.
Video footage shared on X by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, showed the presidential aircraft landing, with top government officials, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
“A President arrives home. Excitement as President Tinubu returns to Nigeria after a resoundingly successful state Vlvisit to the UK,” Dare wrote.
The trip, held between March 18 and 19, 2026, marked the first official state visit by a Nigerian leader to the UK in 37 years, with the last taking place in 1989.
Tinubu and the First Lady had departed Abuja earlier in the week, arriving at London Stansted Airport on Tuesday. They were formally received the following day by King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Windsor Castle, where a ceremonial welcome featuring an honour guard and carriage procession was held.
The Nigerian delegation also attended a state banquet hosted by the British monarch and queen. During the event, Tinubu reflected on the support he received in the UK during Nigeria’s military era, while reaffirming the long-standing relationship between both nations.
In his remarks, King Charles described the UK-Nigeria relationship as a “partnership of equals,” emphasizing strong cultural, commercial, and people-to-people connections.
On Thursday, Tinubu met with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in a high-level bilateral meeting focused on strengthening cooperation between both countries.
Key outcomes of the visit included the signing of several memoranda of understanding, notably a £746 million financing agreement involving UK Export Finance, the Nigerian Ports Authority, and the Federal Ministry of Finance to support port infrastructure upgrades.
Additionally, both countries signed a new agreement to facilitate the return of failed Nigerian asylum seekers, visa overstayers, and convicted offenders, aimed at improving migration management and bilateral collaboration.
