By Peter Omopo
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will embark on a two-day state visit to the United Kingdom beginning March 18, 2026, following a formal invitation from King Charles III, Buckingham Palace has announced.
In a statement released on Saturday by the royal communications team, the Palace confirmed that President Tinubu will be hosted by the British monarch during the visit. The president will be accompanied by his wife, First Lady Oluremi Tinubu.
The visit represents a major diplomatic milestone, marking the first state visit by a Nigerian leader to the UK in 37 years. Previous Nigerian leaders who undertook state visits to Britain include General Yakubu Gowon in 1973, President Shehu Shagari in 1981, and General Ibrahim Babangida in 1989.
The announcement was first made via a post by the Royal Family on X, which stated that President Tinubu had accepted an invitation from King Charles to pay a state visit from Wednesday, March 18, to Thursday, March 19, 2026. According to the statement, King Charles and Queen Camilla will host the Nigerian leader at Windsor Castle.
Confirming the development, President Tinubu’s spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, described the visit as historic, noting that it would be the first of its kind by a Nigerian leader in nearly four decades.
Although this will be President Tinubu’s first official state visit to the UK since assuming office, it will not be his first engagement with King Charles. Both leaders came into office in May 2023 and have met on several occasions since then.
President Tinubu met King Charles in November 2023 ahead of the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai, an encounter he described as significant for strengthening bilateral relations. In September 2024, the British monarch also hosted the Nigerian president for a private meeting at Buckingham Palace, where discussions focused on global and regional issues, particularly climate change, according to Onanuga.
King Charles, while still Prince of Wales, visited Nigeria on several occasions in 1990, 1999, 2006, and 2018, underscoring his longstanding engagement with the country.
Buckingham Palace said further details of the programme for President Tinubu’s state visit will be announced in due course.
