King Charles has welcomed Nigerian President Bola Tinubu to Windsor Castle for a two-day state visit — the first by a Nigerian head of state in 37 years — with both sides looking to deepen ties at a moment when trade between the two countries is at a record high.
After arriving by carriage procession, Tinubu joined Charles in the castle courtyard for a royal salute, inspecting British soldiers in their traditional scarlet jackets and bearskin hats. A state banquet was planned for Wednesday evening, though no formal lunch was held — Tinubu is a practising Muslim and is currently fasting during Ramadan.
The afternoon was spent more intimately, with Charles showing Tinubu a selection of Nigerian items from the royal collection, joined by Queen Camilla, Prince William and the Princess of Wales, as well as both leaders’ spouses. Among the pieces on display were a manuscript by Ben Okri — the Nigerian-born British novelist who became the first Black writer to win the Booker Prize — and a Yoruba throne covered in thousands of small coloured beads, which Nigeria had gifted to the late Queen Elizabeth in 1956. The visit also included a stop at St George’s Chapel, where Tinubu laid a wreath at her tomb.
The visit carries real commercial weight. Britain is home to around 300,000 Nigerians, and the government is keen to use the occasion to reinforce the UK’s position as a hub for African business. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who has made no secret of using royal soft power to give Britain’s sluggish economy a boost, is due to meet Tinubu on Thursday. The president’s wife, Oluremi, who is Christian, is separately scheduled to visit Lambeth Palace.
Charles, who continues to receive regular cancer treatment, has been active on the state visit front over the past nine months, hosting German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron. The Nigerian visit adds another significant name to that list, and one with particularly deep cultural and historical resonance for Britain.
