Tinubu Set for Historic UK State Visit as Frequent Foreign Trips Spark Debate at Home

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is set to embark on a historic two-day state visit to the United Kingdom from March 18 to 19, 2026, following an invitation from King Charles III.

The visit was confirmed on Sunday via a post on the official X (formerly Twitter) handle of the British royal family. According to the announcement, King Charles III and Queen Camilla will host the Nigerian leader at Windsor Castle.

President Tinubu will be accompanied on the trip by his wife and First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.

A statement from the British royal household read:

“The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Mr Bola Ahmed Tinubu, accompanied by the First Lady, Mrs Oluremi Tinubu, has accepted an invitation from His Majesty The King to pay a state visit to the United Kingdom from Wednesday, 18 March to Thursday, 19 March 2026. The King and Queen will host the state visit at Windsor Castle.”

Reacting to the announcement, the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, described the visit as a major diplomatic milestone, noting that it would be the first state visit by a Nigerian leader to the United Kingdom in 37 years.

However, the planned UK visit has also reignited public criticism over President Tinubu’s frequent foreign travels. Since the beginning of 2026, the President has moved from one country to another, with critics and opposition figures arguing that he has spent more days outside Nigeria than within the country this year.

The development has sparked widespread debate across social media and political circles, with many Nigerians questioning the timing and necessity of the trips amid ongoing economic hardship, rising cost of living, and security challenges at home. Supporters of the President, on the other hand, insist that the trips are necessary to strengthen diplomatic ties, attract foreign investment, and reposition Nigeria on the global stage.