President Bola Tinubu and First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu arrived at Stansted Airport in London 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, according to a post 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 on X, sharing a video of the aircraft taxiing to a stop before the presidential couple disembarked.
The visit, extended at the invitation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla, marks the first Nigerian state visit to the UK since 1989 and the first time a Nigerian leader will be hosted at Windsor Castle. Previous state visits took place in 1973 and 1981 under Queen Elizabeth II.
According to a statement issued on Monday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President and First Lady will be hosted at Windsor Castle from March 18 to 19.
As part of the visit, President Tinubu will attend the Nigerian Modernism exhibition, highlighting the country’s arts and culture, and participate in a reception with Nigerian and British business leaders, as well as members of the diaspora.
He is also scheduled to meet with organisations involved in interfaith dialogue, both within the UK and internationally.
President Tinubu will hold bilateral talks with Prime Minister Keir Starmer at 10 Downing Street, a meeting expected to deepen cooperation between both countries. The engagement will culminate in the signing of several Memoranda of Understanding covering trade, investment, defence, and cultural collaboration.
The President will also witness the signing of a £746 million financing agreement between UK Export Finance, the Nigerian Ports Authority, and the Federal Ministry of Finance for the refurbishment of key maritime infrastructure, including the Lagos Port Complex (Apapa Quays) and the Tin Can Island Port Complex.
Members of the President’s delegation include Senate President Godswill Akpabio; Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN); Minister of Solid Minerals, Dele Alake; and Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris.
Also on the trip are Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca Ojukwu; Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Jumoke Oduwole; Minister of Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa; and Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani.
Others include Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa (retd.); National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu; and Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Mohammed Mohammed.
