Tinubu to Make Historic UK State Visit, First by a Nigerian Leader in 37 Years

Story: Written by Daniel February 10,2026

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, will travel to the United Kingdom on March 18–19 for a landmark state visit, ending a 37-year gap in high-level diplomatic engagements of this nature between both countries.
The visit, at the invitation of King Charles III, will take place at Windsor Castle and marks the first UK state visit by a Nigerian leader since 1989, when former military head of state, General Ibrahim Babangida, was hosted by Queen Elizabeth II.
While President Tinubu has met King Charles on several occasions since assuming office—including at Buckingham Palace in September 2024 and during the COP28 climate summit in Dubai—this visit represents a higher diplomatic milestone, complete with full royal protocol and ceremonial honours.
The state visit comes amid strengthening economic ties between Nigeria and the UK. Bilateral trade between both countries exceeded £8 billion in the year ending October, positioning Nigeria as one of Britain’s leading trading partners in Africa. In 2024, both nations further deepened economic cooperation through a new trade and investment partnership designed to boost business and private-sector growth.
King Charles III has long-standing ties to Nigeria, having visited the country four times before ascending the throne—in 1990, 1999, 2006, and 2018. He has often spoken fondly of Nigerian culture, including Pidgin English and Afrobeats music. In 2023, the King’s Trust International launched operations in Nigeria, focusing on youth empowerment and job creation.
For the British monarch, Tinubu’s visit will be only his fifth state engagement since becoming king, following similar visits involving leaders from France, the United States, Germany, and South Africa. The growing frequency of such visits highlights the UK’s renewed diplomatic outreach and Nigeria’s rising strategic relevance.