LONDON — President Bola Tinubu has begun Nigeria’s first state visit to the United Kingdom in nearly four decades, a trip both governments say is aimed at deepening trade, investment and security cooperation amid strong people-to-people ties between the two countries.
The UK government described the visit as “historic” and used it to highlight new and expanded investments by Nigerian firms in Britain. In a statement issued ahead of the visit, the Department for Business and Trade said Nigerian companies—including fintechs and banks such as LemFi, Kuda, Moniepoint and Fidelity Bank—are scaling up their UK operations, with “hundreds of new UK jobs” expected. The statement also said Zenith Bank has opened a new branch in Manchester, and pointed to wider efforts to position the UK as a hub for African business.
Nigeria’s presidency said the trip signals a “renewed chapter” in relations and reflects a shared commitment to advancing trade and strengthening diplomatic ties. Tinubu is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday. The visit also spotlights the large Nigerian diaspora in Britain. Official UK census data show 270,768 people in England and Wales reported Nigeria as their country of birth in 2021. On the cultural and faith side of the programme, First Lady Oluremi Tinubu—who is also a Christian pastor—is set to visit Lambeth Palace, the London residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury, and is expected to preach there as part of the schedule.
Notably absent from the official programme is a meeting with UK opposition leader Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative Party leader who is of Nigerian descent and has repeatedly criticised Nigeria over governance and insecurity. Al Jazeera reported that a traditional courtesy meeting between a visiting head of state and the British opposition was not listed on the schedule.
The state visit comes as France and other European partners recalibrate engagement in West Africa, and as London seeks to pair diplomacy with commercial outcomes, including investment announcements timed to major international visits.
