President Bola Tinubu and First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, arrived at Stansted Airport on Tuesday afternoon, marking the beginning of a landmark state visit to the United Kingdom.
The presidential aircraft touched down shortly after 3:00 p.m. local time under clear skies, as captured in a post shared on X by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare. “Timeline: 15:23PM. President Bola Tinubu and First Lady Oluremi Tinubu touch down at Stansted Airport, United Kingdom as Historic Visit begins,” Dare wrote.
The visit, extended by invitation from Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla, is the first Nigerian state visit to the UK since 1989. It also marks the first occasion a Nigerian leader will be hosted at Windsor Castle. Previous Nigerian state visits occurred in 1973 and 1981 under the late Queen Elizabeth II.
A statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed that the President and the First Lady will be guests of the King and Queen at Windsor Castle from March 18 to 19. During the visit, the President is expected to attend the Nigerian Modernism exhibition, showcasing modern arts and culture, and participate in a reception with Nigerian and British business leaders, as well as the diaspora community.
The itinerary includes meetings with organisations involved in interfaith dialogue, both nationally and internationally. President Tinubu is also scheduled for a bilateral meeting with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer at 10 Downing Street, aimed at expanding engagement between senior officials of both nations. The meeting will culminate in the signing of various Memoranda of Understanding and agreements covering trade, investment, defence, and cultural cooperation.
One of the key highlights of the visit is the signing of a £746 million financing deal between UK Export Finance, the Nigerian Ports Authority, and the Federal Ministry of Finance. The agreement will support the refurbishment of two major maritime infrastructures — the Lagos Port Complex (Apapa Quays) and Tin Can Island Port Complex.
Members of the President’s entourage include Senate President Godswill Akpabio; Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN); Ministers Dele Alake, Idris Mohammed, Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu, Wale Edun, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, Hannatu Musawa, and Bosun Tijani; as well as Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (retd.), National Security Adviser Malam Nuhu Ribadu, and Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Mohammed Mohammed.
