Tinubu Returns to Nigeria After UK State Visit

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and First Lady Oluremi Tinubu have returned to Nigeria following a two-day state visit to the United Kingdom.

 

The presidential aircraft touched down on Friday, with top government officials, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio, present to receive the couple.

 

According to the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, the visit was “resoundingly successful,” marking a significant milestone in bilateral relations.

 

The trip, held between March 18 and 19, 2026, was the first formal state visit by a Nigerian leader to the UK in 37 years, the last having taken place in 1989.

 

During the visit, Tinubu and the First Lady were hosted by King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Windsor Castle, where they received a ceremonial welcome, including a guard of honour and carriage procession.

 

The Nigerian delegation also attended a state banquet, where Tinubu highlighted the support he received in the UK during Nigeria’s military era and reaffirmed the strong ties between both nations.

 

King Charles described the UK-Nigeria relationship as a “partnership of equals,” underscoring the deep cultural, economic, and diplomatic connections between the two countries.

 

Tinubu also held talks with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, focusing on strengthening cooperation between both nations.

 

Key outcomes of the visit included the signing of several agreements, among them a £746 million financing deal involving UK Export Finance, the Nigerian Ports Authority, and Nigeria’s Ministry of Finance.

 

In addition, both countries signed an agreement to facilitate the return of failed Nigerian asylum seekers, visa overstayers, and convicted offenders, aimed at enhancing migration management and bilateral cooperation.