President Bola Tinubu will pay a two-day state visit to the United Kingdom from March 18 to 19, 2026, after King Charles III’s royal invitation.
The visit was confirmed on Sunday in a post on the British royal family’s official X handle, which stated that King Charles and Queen Camilla would formally welcome the Nigerian leader to Windsor Castle.
According to the tweet, Tinubu would be accompanied by his wife, Oluremi Tinubu, on 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.
Speaking on 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, “The first state visit of a Nigerian leader to the UK in 37 years is confirmed. President Tinubu and First Lady Remi Tinubu are 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 head of state Gen. Ibrahim Babangida in 1989.
The late Queen Elizabeth II hosted him for four days.
During the visit, Gen. Babangida bestowed Nigeria’s highest national accolade, the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic, upon Queen Elizabeth II.
Previously, Gen. Yakubu Gowon and President Shehu Shagari paid state trips to the UK and were hosted by the late Queen Elizabeth II.
According to the British Broadcasting Corporation, state visits are a form of soft-power diplomacy that combines royal ceremony and hospitality to enhance ties with major international allies.
Tinubu and King Charles, who both took office in May 2023, have met multiple times.
In November 2023, the Nigerian leader met with the monarch in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, ahead of the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28), describing the meeting as a crucial step toward strengthening bilateral relations.
In September 2024, King Charles met with Tinubu privately at Buckingham Palace.
The British monarch has strong personal ties to Nigeria and has openly acknowledged a preference for Pidgin English and Afrobeats music.
Before coming to the throne, Charles visited Nigeria four times as Prince of Wales: in 1990, 1999, 2006, and 2018. Camilla, then the Duchess of Cornwall, accompanied him on the 2018 visit.
The King’s Trust International, formerly known as The Prince’s Trust, will officially commence operations in Nigeria in 2023, presenting efforts to solve the country’s youth unemployment.
