President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will depart Abuja on Tuesday for a visit to the United Kingdom, following an invitation from King Charles III and Queen Camilla. The First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, will accompany the president during the official engagements, according to a statement issued Monday by Presidential Spokesperson Bayo Onanuga.
The visit marks the first time in 37 years that a Nigerian head of state will be hosted by a British monarch at Windsor Castle. It is expected to bolster bilateral relations and open new avenues for cooperation in trade, investment, immigration and cultural exchange.
During the visit, King Charles III will host President Tinubu and the First Lady at Windsor Castle from Wednesday to Thursday. The programme includes a special exhibition by the Royal Family featuring items from the Royal Collection linked to Nigeria. Both leaders are also scheduled to hold private discussions and meet with organisations promoting interfaith dialogue at national and international levels, culminating in a State Banquet in honour of the Nigerian delegation.
President Tinubu will also hold a bilateral meeting with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at 10 Downing Street, aimed at strengthening high-level cooperation. The meeting is expected to result in the signing of several Memoranda of Understanding covering trade, investment, defence and cultural collaboration.
A major highlight of the trip will be the witnessing of a £746 million financing agreement between UK Export Finance and Nigerian authorities. The deal is designed to support the refurbishment of the Lagos Port Complex (Apapa Quays) and the Tin Can Island Port Complex, key infrastructure for Nigeria’s maritime trade.
The president is also scheduled to attend the Nigerian Modernism exhibition, which will showcase contemporary Nigerian art and culture, and participate in a reception with Nigerian and British business leaders as well as members of the diaspora community.
Members of the president’s delegation include Senate President Godswill Akpabio; Minister of Justice Lateef Fagbemi; Minister of Solid Minerals Dele Alake; Minister of Information and National Orientation Idris Mohammed; Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Bianca Ojukwu; Finance Minister Wale Edun; Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment Jumoke Oduwole; Minister of Culture and Creative Economy Hannatu Musawa; Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal; Minister of Communications and Digital Economy Bosun Tijani; Defence Minister Christopher Musa; National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu; and Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency Mohammed Mohammed.
