Fatimah Otunsanya
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu, will pay a state visit to the United Kingdom between March 18 and 19.
The visit, at the instance of King Charles III, is the first by a Nigerian leader in 37 years.
The last by a Nigerian leader was in May 1989 by the then military ruler Gen Ibrahim Babangida. Gen. Babangida was hosted by the late Queen Elizabeth II.
The visit was confirmed yesterday by the British Royal Family via its verified X handle, @RoyalFamily and the UK Mission in Nigeria.
Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, reechoed the announcement t on his verified X account, @aonanuga1956.
The Royal Family wrote: “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.”
Onanuga described the visit as a historic milestone in Nigeria-UK relations.
“First state visit of a Nigerian leader to the UK in 37 years confirmed. President Tinubu and First Lady Remi Tinubu to be hosted by King Charles and Queen Camilla from 18th March to 19th March 2026,” he wrote.
The U.K Mission in Nigeria also said in a statement that the ‘’Historic visit provides an opportunity to further strengthen the enduring partnership between our two nations.’’
Further details of the itinerary and official engagements during the two-day visit are expected to be released in the coming weeks.
The visit signals a major diplomatic engagement between Nigeria and the U.K and is expected to further strengthen ties between both countries, particularly in areas of trade, investment, security cooperation, and cultural exchange.
State visits to the U.K are considered a form of soft-power diplomacy, using the pomp of royal hospitality to strengthen relations with important international partners.
Such visits are the highest form of diplomatic engagement between nations, typically involving formal ceremonies and high-level bilateral discussions.
Nigeria has deployed Ambassador Amin Dalhatu to the United Kingdom as Nigeria’s High Commissioner-Designate. He is awaiting His Majesty King Charles confirmation of his posting by receiving his letter of credence.