President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, accompanied by the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, will undertake a historic state visit to the United Kingdom in March 2026, marking Nigeria’s first state visit to the UK in 37 years.
The development was announced by the British Royal Family in a statement published on its official X (formerly Twitter) account late Saturday, February 7, 2026.
According to the statement, President Tinubu accepted an invitation from King Charles III and will be hosted alongside the First Lady by the King and Queen Camilla at Windsor Castle from Wednesday, March 18, to Thursday, March 19, 2026. The Nigerian leader will be received with full state honours.
State visits are rare diplomatic engagements, typically reserved for nations regarded as strategically important partners. The upcoming visit underscores the strengthening diplomatic and economic relations between Nigeria and the United Kingdom.
“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,” the Royal Family stated. “The King and Queen will host the State Visit at Windsor Castle.”
The visit is widely seen as symbolic, as it will be the first time since 1989 that a Nigerian leader—civilian or military—will be accorded a state visit to the UK. The last such visit was in 1989, when former military ruler, General Ibrahim Babangida, met with the late Queen Elizabeth II. Earlier visits were recorded in 1973 by General Yakubu Gowon and in 1981 by former President Shehu Shagari.
Although this will be President Tinubu’s first official state visit to the UK, it will not be his first engagement with King Charles. Since assuming office in 2023, Tinubu has met the monarch on multiple occasions, including ahead of the COP28 climate conference in Dubai in November 2023 and during a private meeting at Buckingham Palace in September 2024.
While the full programme for the March 2026 visit has yet to be disclosed, state visits to the UK typically feature elaborate ceremonies such as guards of honour, carriage processions and state banquets, alongside high-level bilateral talks on political, economic and security cooperation.
The visit comes at a time of renewed engagement between both countries. Trade between the UK and Nigeria was valued at over £8 billion as of October 2025, making Nigeria one of Britain’s most important partners in Africa. Bilateral cooperation spans security, education, migration, energy and climate action.
President Tinubu’s planned UK trip follows other recent diplomatic efforts by his administration, including a state visit to Turkey in February 2026, where Nigeria signed multiple agreements covering defence, energy and security. Observers say the UK visit further signals Nigeria’s intention to deepen ties with key global partners and reinforce its position as a major economic and geopolitical player in Africa.
