President Tinubu to pay state visit to UK, meet King Charles
Following an invitation from King Charles III, Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu would be paying a state visit to the United Kingdom, as both the President and his wife, Oluremi Tinubu would be received at Windsor Castle on March 18 and 19 by King Charles and Queen Camilla.
The was confirmed in a statement by the British Royal Family on an X post on Sunday.
“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,” the statement read.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Information and Strategy confirmed the development in a post on his X handle.
“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,” Onanuga wrote.
Since 1989 when then Nigerian military Head of State General Ibrahim Babangida was hosted by Queen Elizabeth II, this would be the first time a Nigerian leader would be received in the United Kingdom with full state honours, with General Yakubu Gowon and President Shehu Shagari making prior state visits in 1973 and 1981 respectively.
Other Nigerian Presidents who have travelled to the United Kingdom have had such visits categorized as private.
Since assumption of office as Nigeria’s President, Tinubu has met King Charles twice; at a 2023 COP28 Climate Summit in Dubai and a 2024 climate change and security meeting at Buckingham Palace.
