President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will embark on a two-day state visit to the United Kingdom in March, marking Nigeria’s first such visit to the UK in 37 years, Buckingham Palace has confirmed.
The last Nigerian leader to undertake a state visit was former military president Ibrahim Babangida in 1989, hosted then by the late Queen Elizabeth II. President Tinubu will be accompanied by First Lady Oluremi Tinubu on the visit, which is at the invitation of King Charles III.
Okay News reports that the British royal household described state visits as a key tool of soft-power diplomacy, using royal tradition and ceremony to strengthen ties with strategic partners. Although the full agenda for the March 18 visit has not yet been disclosed, both leaders have met several times since assuming office in May 2023, including meetings in Dubai ahead of COP28 and a private audience at Buckingham Palace in September 2024.
King Charles has long-standing ties to Nigeria, having visited the country four times before ascending the throne, and has openly expressed admiration for Nigerian culture, including Pidgin English and Afrobeats music.
In 2023, The King’s Trust International officially launched in Nigeria, unveiling initiatives aimed at tackling youth unemployment, further underscoring the deepening diplomatic and development-focused relationship between both countries.
