President Bola Tinubu will undertake a two-day state visit to the United Kingdom beginning March 18, Buckingham Palace has confirmed.
In a statement released on Saturday, the Royal Household said the visit was extended at the invitation of King Charles. The President will travel with his wife, Oluremi Tinubu.
The trip marks the first official state visit to the United Kingdom by a Nigerian president in 37 years.
The most recent Nigerian leaders to undertake state visits to the UK were Yakubu Gowon in 1973, Shehu Shagari in 1981 and Ibrahim Babangida in 1989.
King Charles, while serving as Prince of Wales, visited Nigeria in 1990, 1999, 2006 and 2018.
The forthcoming engagement will not be the first interaction between President Tinubu and the British monarch, both of whom assumed office in May 2023.
In November 2023, Tinubu met King Charles on the sidelines of the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
The President later described the engagement as an important step toward deepening cooperation between Nigeria and the United Kingdom.
In September 2024, the monarch also received Tinubu at Buckingham Palace for a private audience.
According to the President’s spokesman, Bayo Onanuga, both leaders discussed global and regional issues of mutual concern, with particular attention on the pressing and complex challenge of climate change.
The royal communications office added that additional information on the programme of events for Tinubu’s state visit would be made public in due course.
