President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and First Lady Oluremi Tinubu are set to embark on a historic state visit to the United Kingdom from March 18 to 19, 2026, following an official invitation from King Charles III.
The visit was confirmed on Sunday in a statement published on the official X (formerly Twitter) account of the British Royal Family, which announced that the Nigerian President and his wife will be formally hosted by King Charles and Queen Camilla at Windsor Castle.
According to the statement, the visit marks a significant milestone in Nigeria–UK diplomatic relations, as it will be the first state visit by a Nigerian leader to Britain in 37 years.
“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 stated.
Reacting to the announcement, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, described the visit as historic, noting that the last Nigerian leader to undertake a state visit to the UK was former Military President, Gen Ibrahim Babangida, in 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.
During his 1989 visit, Gen Babangida was hosted by the late Queen Elizabeth II and conferred on her Nigeria’s highest national honour, the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR). Other Nigerian leaders who previously undertook state visits to the UK include Gen Yakubu Gowon and President Shehu Shagari, both also hosted by Queen Elizabeth II.
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) describes state visits as a key instrument of soft-power diplomacy, blending royal ceremony with strategic engagement to strengthen relations between nations.
President Tinubu and King Charles, who both assumed office in May 2023, have met on several occasions. In November 2023, Tinubu met the monarch in Dubai ahead of the COP28 climate summit, describing the engagement as a step toward deepening bilateral cooperation.
In September 2024, King Charles also hosted Tinubu at Buckingham Palace during a private meeting.
King Charles has longstanding personal ties with Nigeria, having visited the country four times as Prince of Wales—in 1990, 1999, 2006, and 2018. He has also publicly expressed his fondness for Pidgin English and Afrobeats music. Queen Camilla accompanied him during the 2018 visit.
In 2023, The King’s Trust International launched operations in Nigeria, rolling out programmes aimed at tackling youth unemployment and supporting entrepreneurship.
