President Bola Tinubu and First Lady Oluremi Tinubu will undertake a state visit to the United Kingdom on March 18–19, Buckingham Palace has announced. King Charles III and Queen Camilla will host the visit at Windsor Castle; detailed plans will be released later. This will be the first Nigerian state visit to the U.K. in nearly 40 years and is expected to include the traditional royal reception, a carriage procession and a state banquet.
Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu To Make First State Visit To U.K. In Nearly 40 Years — March 18–19
FILE - Nigeria's President Bola Tinubu gives a joint statement with Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, at the Planalto presidential palace, in Brasilia, Brazil, Aug. 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres, File)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
LONDON — Buckingham Palace announced that Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu and First Lady Oluremi Tinubu will make a state visit to the United Kingdom on March 18–19. The two-day visit will be the first full state visit by a Nigerian head of state to the U.K. in nearly four decades.
Royal Reception At Windsor Castle
King Charles III and Queen Camilla will welcome the presidential party at Windsor Castle. Buckingham Palace said fuller details of the itinerary and arrangements will be released in due course.
Historical Context
This will be the first Nigerian state visit to the U.K. since the visits recorded in 1973, 1981 and 1989. King Charles, before his accession, visited Nigeria four times between 1990 and 2018, and he previously hosted President Tinubu at Buckingham Palace in September 2024.
Ceremony And Protocol
A state visit typically begins with an official reception hosted by the monarch and often includes a carriage procession and a state banquet. These ceremonial elements underline the diplomatic significance of the visit and the historic ties between the United Kingdom and Nigeria, a fellow member of the Commonwealth.
Recent Royal Engagements
In the past year, King Charles hosted several other state visits, welcoming world leaders such as U.S. President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, underscoring the Crown’s ongoing role in international diplomacy.
Note: Buckingham Palace said more detailed plans and public events tied to the Tinubus’ visit will be announced closer to the dates of March 18–19.
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