London, United Kingdom — Nigerian human rights activist and politician Omoyele Sowore has criticised the ongoing state visit of Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to the United Kingdom, describing it as largely ceremonial and lacking tangible benefits for Africa’s most populous country.
Sowore, who was the presidential candidate of the African Action Congress during Nigeria’s 2023 general election, made the remarks during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Wednesday. His comments come as President Tinubu continues a two-day official visit to the United Kingdom, marking the first time in nearly four decades that a Nigerian leader has undertaken such a formal state trip to the country.
Okay News reports that the visit includes high-level engagements with British leadership, including a scheduled meeting with King Charles III and bilateral discussions with Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. The trip is being presented by the Nigerian government as part of broader efforts to strengthen diplomatic ties and attract foreign investment.
However, Sowore dismissed the significance of the visit, suggesting that it offers little value to Nigeria beyond public display. “These visits are nothing more than diplomatic excursions. Perhaps the president will also see his doctors; he has not travelled in about a month,” he said.
He further argued that the public attention surrounding such trips often masks what he described as a lack of measurable outcomes for Nigeria’s economy and development. “Beyond the fanfare you are seeing on TV, it’s not bringing anything to Nigeria that Nigeria cannot get or should not have. That’s the point I’m making, and we are just deceiving ourselves all the time by saying this time we travel,” he added.
The activist also questioned the broader pattern of foreign trips undertaken by President Tinubu since assuming office in May 2023. According to him, the Nigerian government has repeatedly justified these travels as efforts to secure foreign investment, but he believes there has been little to show in return.
“The cost of these travels is far more at the end, outweighing whatever we come from the so-called investment they claim is going to happen,” Sowore said, adding that such journeys place unnecessary strain on public resources.
He maintained that countries with stable policies and strong economic fundamentals naturally attract investors without the need for frequent international trips. “If you have it right, investors will come to your country. You don’t need to travel,” he said, criticising what he described as excessive spending on official travel.
Sowore also drew comparisons with Nigeria’s entertainment industry, arguing that some musicians generate more economic returns from international tours than government-led diplomatic visits. “Sometimes, some of these our musicians who go and perform in the UK bring more money into the country than when the president travels to the UK or anywhere,” he stated.
President Tinubu and Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, arrived at London Stansted Airport on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, to begin the official visit. The trip is expected to focus on strengthening bilateral relations between Nigeria and the United Kingdom, a long-standing partner in trade, education, and security cooperation.
The outcome of the visit is likely to be closely watched by analysts and citizens alike, particularly as Nigeria continues to seek economic stability and increased foreign investment in a competitive global environment.
