Britain’s King Charles will host Nigerian President Bola Tinubu at Windsor Castle on Wednesday, in the first state visit by a Nigerian leader in 37 years, which is aimed at strengthening bilateral ties.
With trade between the two countries at a record high, Charles is expected to highlight the deep cultural and commercial links during Tinubu’s two-day visit.
Tinubu and his wife, Oluremi, will be received by heir to the throne Prince William and his wife Kate for the journey to Windsor Castle on Wednesday morning.
They will then be greeted by the king and Queen Camilla before a full ceremonial welcome featuring a royal salute, a carriage procession and a state banquet.
Britain is home to a large Nigerian diaspora, with about 300,000 Nigerians living in the UK.
One of the most high-profile Britons of Nigerian heritage is Kemi Badenoch, the main opposition Conservative leader who is the first Black woman to lead a major British political party. She was born in London to Nigerian parents.
The British government hopes the visit will reinforce the UK’s role as a global centre for African business.
“Growth is the core mission of this government and it underpins our relationship with Nigeria,” deputy prime minister David Lammy said ahead of the visit.
Charles, who is still undergoing regular treatment for cancer, has hosted several high-profile state visits over the last nine months, welcoming German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, U.S. President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron.
Tinubu is a practising Muslim who is fasting during Ramadan, and as such the state visit unusually does not include a lunch.
His wife, a Christian, is due to visit Lambeth Palace, the London residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury, on Thursday.