By Felix ifijeh
President Bola Tinubu and First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, will be hosted by King Charles III and Queen Camilla on a historic state visit to the United Kingdom from March 18 to 19, marking Nigeria’s first state visit to the UK in 37 years.
The last time Nigeria enjoyed such an honour was in 1989, when the then-military ruler, General Ibrahim Babangida, visited the late Queen Elizabeth II.
Buckingham Palace confirmed that the Nigerian leader has accepted the King’s invitation to be received at Windsor Castle.
Although this will be President Tinubu’s first formal state visit to the UK since assuming office, he has previously met King Charles. Tinubu and his wife were received at Buckingham Palace in September 2024 and also held bilateral discussions with the monarch on the sidelines of the COP28 climate summit in Dubai.
The forthcoming visit comes amid steadily improving diplomatic and economic relations between the two countries. Trade between the UK and Nigeria was valued at over £8 billion in the year to October, making Nigeria one of Britain’s most significant partners in Africa. In 2024, both nations also signed a new trade and investment partnership to expand business opportunities and deepen economic cooperation.
While the full programme for the March visit has not yet been disclosed, state visits typically include ceremonial events such as carriage processions and a state banquet, as well as political meetings with senior UK officials.
King Charles is known to have longstanding ties with Nigeria, a fellow Commonwealth nation. He has previously expressed admiration for Nigerian culture, including Pidgin English and Afrobeats music. Before ascending the throne, he visited Nigeria four times as Prince of Wales—in 1990, 1999, 2006 and 2018—with Queen Camilla joining him on the most recent visit.
As part of this enduring relationship, the King’s Trust International was officially launched in Nigeria in 2023, with initiatives to tackle youth unemployment.
Tinubu’s visit will be one of several high-profile state engagements hosted by King Charles, reinforcing the UK’s renewed diplomatic outreach and Nigeria’s growing strategic relevance on the global stage.
