President Tinubu, First Lady Set For Historic UK State Visit In March
President Bola Ahmed 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, marking the first such visit by a Nigerian leader in 37 years.
The announcement was made on Sunday via a post on the official X handle of the British Royal Family, which confirmed that President Tinubu will be formally hosted by King Charles and Queen Camilla at Windsor Castle.
The statement noted that the Nigerian leader will be accompanied by his wife, First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, during the historic 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 announced.
Reacting to the development, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, described the visit as a major diplomatic milestone, noting that it would be the first UK state visit by a Nigerian leader since 1989.
“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,” Onanuga wrote.
The last Nigerian leader to undertake a state visit to the United Kingdom was former Military President, General Ibrahim Babangida, who was hosted by the late Queen Elizabeth II in 1989. During that visit, Babangida conferred Nigeria’s highest national honour, the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR), on the monarch.
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Earlier Nigerian leaders, including General Yakubu Gowon and President Shehu Shagari, also undertook state visits to the UK and were received by Queen Elizabeth II.
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) describes state visits as a powerful tool of soft-power diplomacy, combining royal ceremony with strategic engagement to strengthen bilateral relations between nations.
President Tinubu and King Charles, both of whom assumed office in May 2023, have met on several occasions. In November 2023, they met in Dubai ahead of the COP28 climate conference, where Tinubu described the engagement as key to deepening Nigeria–UK relations.
In September 2024, the British monarch also received the Nigerian President at Buckingham Palace during a private meeting.
King Charles 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. Queen 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 tackling youth unemployment and expanding economic opportunities for young Nigerians.