President Bola Tinubu will embark on a two-day state visit to the United Kingdom from March 18 to 19, 2026, following an official invitation from King Charles III.
The visit was announced on Sunday via a post on the official X handle of the British royal family, which stated that the Nigerian leader would be formally hosted by King and Queen Camilla at Windsor Castle.
According to the post, Tinubu will be accompanied by his wife, Oluremi Tinubu, during the visit.
“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 Royal Family post read.
Reacting to the announcement, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, noted that it would be the first state visit by a Nigerian leader to the UK in 37 years.
He wrote, “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.”
The last Nigerian leader to undertake a state visit to the UK was former Military President, Gen Ibrahim Babangida, in 1989.
He was hosted by the late Queen Elizabeth II for four days.
During the visit, Gen Babangida conferred Nigeria’s highest national honour, the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic, on Queen Elizabeth II.
Earlier, Gen Yakubu Gowon and President Shehu Shagari also had state visits to the UK and were hosted by the late Queen Elizabeth II.
The British Broadcasting Corporation described state visits as a tool of soft-power diplomacy, combining royal ceremony and hospitality to strengthen ties with key international partners.
Tinubu and King Charles, who both assumed office in May 2023, have met on several occasions.
In November 2023, the Nigerian leader met the monarch in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, ahead of the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), describing the engagement as an important step towards deepening bilateral relations.
In September 2024, King Charles also received Tinubu at Buckingham Palace during a private meeting.
The British monarch has longstanding personal ties with Nigeria and has openly expressed his fondness for Pidgin English and Afrobeats music.
Before ascending the throne, he visited Nigeria four times as Prince of Wales—in 1990, 1999, 2006, and 2018. Camilla, then Duchess of Cornwall, accompanied him on the 2018 visit.
In 2023, The King’s Trust International, formerly known as The Prince’s Trust, officially launched operations in Nigeria, unveiling initiatives aimed at addressing youth unemployment in the country.
