Buckingham Palace has confirmed Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will undertake a State Visit to Britain next month, marking a historic occasion for UK-Nigeria relations.
The Nigerian leader and his wife, First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, have accepted the royal invitation to visit on March 18-19.
King Charles and Queen Camilla will receive the presidential couple at Windsor Castle.
The forthcoming visit represents a significant diplomatic milestone, as it will be the first time in 37 years a Nigerian head of state has been accorded a full state visit to the United Kingdom.
King Charles will host President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in March, Buckingham Palace has announced
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Complete arrangements for the occasion are yet to be finalised.
The late Queen Elizabeth II was the last monarch to host a Nigerian leader when she welcomed General Ibrahim Babangida for a state visit in May 1989.
Nigerian State Visits to Britain have occurred on just two other previous occasions, taking place in 1973 and 1981.
That visit nearly four decades ago means the upcoming March engagement will end the longest gap between Nigerian presidential visits to the UK since the tradition began.
The King has cultivated strong personal ties with Nigeria over several decades, having travelled to the West African nation on four separate occasions.
Travelling while serving as then-Prince of Wales, Charles visited in 1990, 1999, 2006 and 2018.
The last Nigerian State Visit was held in 1989
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Queen Camilla, then holding the title Duchess of Cornwall, accompanied him during the 2018 trip.
President Tinubu and King Charles have already met on multiple occasions since the Nigerian leader took office.
The monarch received the president at Buckingham Palace in September 2024.
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The two heads of state also held bilateral discussions at a Dubai hotel during the Cop28 climate summit.
The Nigerian State Visit will follow a busy year of diplomatic hosting for the royal couple.
Throughout 2025, King Charles and Queen Camilla welcomed three foreign leaders for state visits, receiving French President Emmanuel Macron, US President Donald Trump and German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier between July and December.
There were three state visits in 2025, with the Nigerian President's visit marking the first of 2026
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State visits are renowned for their ceremonial grandeur, with royal tiaras forming a notable tradition at such occasions.
During the German president's visit, the Princess of Wales selected Queen Victoria's Oriental Circlet Tiara for the state banquet, a striking piece containing 2,600 diamonds and rubies that was originally crafted in 1853.