Tinubu Returns to Nigeria After UK State Visit

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

The presidential aircraft landed on Friday, where the couple was received by senior government officials, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio. A video shared on X by the President’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, captured the arrival.

Dare described the visit as highly successful, noting the excitement that greeted the President’s return.

The trip, which took place between March 18 and 19, 2026, marked the first state visit by a Nigerian leader to the UK in 37 years, the last being in 1989. Tinubu and the First Lady had departed Abuja earlier in the week and arrived at London Stansted Airport.

As part of the visit, King Charles III and Queen Camilla hosted the Nigerian delegation at Windsor Castle, where they were accorded full ceremonial honours, including a guard of honour and a carriage procession. The President also attended a state banquet hosted by the British monarch.

During the banquet, Tinubu reflected on his time in the UK during Nigeria’s military rule, highlighting the support he received, while reaffirming the enduring relationship between both countries. King Charles, in his remarks, described Nigeria and the UK as partners with strong cultural, economic, and interpersonal ties.

Tinubu also held high-level talks with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, with discussions centred on deepening bilateral cooperation.

Among the outcomes of the visit was the signing of a £746 million financing deal involving UK Export Finance, the Nigerian Ports Authority, and the Federal Ministry of Finance. Additionally, both countries agreed on measures to facilitate the return of failed Nigerian asylum seekers, visa overstayers, and convicted offenders, as part of efforts to strengthen migration management and bilateral collaboration.