President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Tuesday left Abuja for an official state visit to the United Kingdom, marking the first time in 37 years that a Nigerian leader would undertake such a trip.
The President departed aboard an Airbus A330 from the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport at about 10:00 a.m., accompanied by the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency said Tinubu and his wife would be hosted by King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Windsor Castle from March 18 to 19.
The visit is expected to deepen longstanding diplomatic and economic relations between Nigeria and the United Kingdom, with both sides set to explore fresh opportunities in trade, investment, immigration, and cultural collaboration.
Highlights of the visit include a state banquet in honour of the Nigerian delegation, private discussions between the President and the British monarch, and a curated exhibition of Nigeria-related items from the Royal Collection.
Tinubu will also engage with organisations involved in interfaith dialogue, reflecting shared interests in promoting religious harmony and global cooperation.
A key component of the trip will be a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Keir Starmer at 10 Downing Street. The engagement is expected to pave the way for expanded cooperation between senior officials of both countries.
Several agreements are slated to be signed during the visit, covering areas such as defence, trade, investment, and cultural exchange.
Among the major deals is a £746 million financing arrangement involving UK Export Finance, the Nigerian Ports Authority, and the Federal Ministry of Finance, targeted at upgrading the Lagos Port Complex (Apapa) and the Tin Can Island Port Complex.
The President will also attend the Nigerian Modernism exhibition and a reception bringing together business leaders from Nigeria and the UK, as well as members of the Nigerian diaspora.
Members of the delegation include Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Attorney General Lateef Fagbemi, Minister of Solid Minerals Dele Alake, Minister of Finance Wale Edun, and National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, among others.
Nigeria’s last state visit to the United Kingdom was in 1989, when former Head of State Ibrahim Babangida visited during the reign of Queen Elizabeth II.
President Tinubu is expected to return to the country at the conclusion of the visit.
Leave a Reply