President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday morning left Nigeria for a two-day official state visit to the United Kingdom as part of efforts to strengthen ties between the two countries.
The President departed from the Presidential Wing of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja at approximately 10 a.m., with First Lady Oluremi Tinubu accompanying him on the trip.
The state visit was initiated through an invitation extended by King Charles III, who will receive President Tinubu and the First Lady at Windsor Castle for the duration of their stay in the UK.
A formal send-off ceremony was held at the airport ahead of the President’s departure, attended by a number of senior government and security officials.
Among those who turned out to see the President off were Senate President Godswill Akpabio, Chief of Staff to the President Femi Gbajabiamila, and FCT Minister Nyesom Wike.
The visit is expected to produce concrete outcomes in the form of signed agreements and memoranda of understanding across several sectors of strategic interest to both Nigeria and the United Kingdom.
Areas of focus during the engagement include trade and investment promotion, the energy transition agenda, solid minerals development, and bilateral security cooperation.
As part of the royal hospitality, King Charles III and Queen Camilla will host both the President and the First Lady at a special Royal Collection exhibition featuring historical artefacts and items with direct connections to Nigeria.
The exhibition is designed to reflect the long and intertwined history shared between both nations across centuries.
The state visit is also anticipated to create new diplomatic channels and reinforce cultural and economic cooperation between Nigeria and Britain.
