President Bola Ahmed Bola Tinubu’s recent state visit to the United Kingdom, 17-19 March on the invitation of King Charles III, and his wife, Queen Camilla has all the trappings of a fairy tale at a personal level. Here is a man who was brought up under humble circumstances, grew up in modest neighbourhoods – Aroloya, Agarawu, Isale Eko – our own Omo Alhaja, the City Boy himself, whose critics had dismissed as a man who every step of his life hustled his way into relevance – there he was at Windsor Castle as a guest of the King of England. He did not attend Eton College, Harrow, or Cambridge, not even our own prestigious foremost Nigerian universities, nor can he provide a drop of blueness in his blood. Growing up in colonial Nigeria, he must have been one of those Nigerian children to whom Empire Day meant so much. He could never have imagined that, one day, the same Britain would roll out the carpets for him. He even once sought refuge in London, during his years in exile, fleeing from the murderous military dictatorship of General Sani Abacha. One or two of his old, NADECO associates often publish photos of their days together in London, pounding the streets as aluta continua democrats. But Tinubu’s trip this time was different, a major psychological awakening.
Arriving as President of Nigeria and royal guest, he was received with pomp and pageantry, the visit was historic, symbolic, and carried much personal, cultural significance. Tinubu is the first Nigerian President to be received on a state visit to the UK in the last 37 years. The last state visit was by a military leader, President Ibrahim Babangida in 1989. Nigeria returned to civilian rule in 1999 – Tinubu is also the first to be invited in the last 27 years, and the first Nigerian leader to be received at Windsor Castle. Others before him went to the UK either for official or private visits. A state visit is distinguished by its ceremonial diplomatic colour. I tried to imagine what could have been going through our President’s mind as he rode in the King’s horse-driven carriage, inspected a guard of honour at the Windsor Castle quadrangle, and got treated to what came across as a brilliant display of British hospitality and affection. Even if the President was calm and measured in his comportment, some members of his entourage couldn’t hold their excitement as they grinned from ear to ear like village boys who just strayed into the palace. Yorubas have a saying for this: when a child gets to a place of fear, he would have no option but to succumb to the emotion of fright. For the various Nigerians on that trip who sat at Banquet with the King and the Queen, the context was one of power, destiny, glory, personal accomplishment, privilege, duty and reward for diligence. Access to power brings many opportunities. This is why Nigerians would do anything to gain access to the corridors of power. I did not see any of that any-how-ness that often defines the behaviour of Nigerian public officials – everyone tried to behave properly!
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The state visit was a big boost for the global profile of Nigeria – a country that is gradually finding its voice and re-discovering its leverage on the international stage after eight years of misdirection under the Buhari administration. It was also a positive public relations moment for the British royalty. For the two days that the Nigerians were in town, the weather in London was warm, bright and sunny. Our people practically took the sun to the city, and the King did everything to make sure nothing went wrong. One Nigerian was so excited he told SkyNews: “I feel like a proud Nigerian… seeing my President”. At the Banquet, the King demonstrated his mastery of the art of diplomacy with the common touch that he often brings to the fore. He started his speech speaking Yoruba (“E kaabo, se daa daa ni) – perfect ice breaker. He praised the contributions of Nigerians in the UK, more than half a million of them who are doing well in every field of human endeavour and who have chosen Britain as their home. He told his guests that “Nigeria hasn’t merely changed, it has arrived.” That is supposed to make us feel good. Then he spoke about Nigerian jollof, diplomatically noting that he could not remember which is the best between Nigerian jollof, Ghanaian jollof, or Senegalese jollof. Nice one. His Majesty is aware of the jollof wars among West Africans.
The bulk of his speech covers his acknowledgement of how Nigeria is “an economic powerhouse, a cultural force and an influential diplomatic voice.” He added that “the friendship between our two countries is a partnership of equals that has brought us both enormous benefits…a deep bond”. Reading this, I am not sure there would be many Nigerians who will agree with the use of the phrase “equals” in this context. Friendship, partnership, bond – yes. But equals? No! Look at trade between both countries for example, which is put at 8.1 billion pounds a year. Nigeria’s exports to the UK, valued at one billion pounds is mainly crude oil, UK’s export to Nigeria led by refined oil is about 1.6 billion pounds. Overall, the UK maintains a healthy trade surplus of over 3.6 million pounds. Most of the Nigerians living in the UK are products of the “Japa syndrome” – Nigerians in search of better life elsewhere because of the deprivation back home. Many of them openly despise Nigeria, like Kemi Badenoch, Nigerian-British leader of the Conservative Party, who openly stayed away from the Nigerians throughout the visit. The King spoke further about “lessons that both countries can learn from each other” illustrating his speech with three proverbs: Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa. In a final gesture of affection, he said: “Nigeria no dey carry last!” Well, well, well.
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President Tinubu also spoke very well drawing attention to the shared history and heritage between the UK and Nigeria: colonial linkage, common law, parliamentary institutions, civil service structures and how Britain laid the foundation for democratic ideals beginning with the Magna Carta of 1215, and the writings of Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, and Edmund Burke. President Tinubu also mentioned Shakespeare and Charles Dickens. He paid tribute to the Nigerian community in the UK which he calls “one of the most dynamic diaspora communities worldwide” including many Nigerian doctors in the NHS – I am not so sure that this is something that the President should hail though, considering the inadequacy of doctors back home, but he was on firmer ground when he referred to Nigerian athletes doing well in Britain in football, rugby and other professions – Maro Itoje, Bukayo Saka, Eberechi Eze, Anthony Joshua and others. Good thing he ignored Kemi Badenoch! He spoke about partnership between Nigeria and the UK on the vexed matter of insecurity in the Sahel region in West Africa. He recalled his days in exile in London and the protection offered by the Metropolitan Police. Whatever the President said about security did not impress many Nigerians. On the eve of his departure to the UK, there were suicide bombing incidents in three different locations in Maiduguri: the Monday market, the Post Office area and the front gate of the University of Maiduguri signalling a resurgence of terror attacks in that part of the country. The Police have since confirmed that 23 persons died, 108 others were injured.
It was felt that the President could have shown empathy by travelling to Maiduguri before leaving for the UK. My unpopular view is that the ritual of showing empathy has been staged so often that it has become too familiar. It is unfortunate that terror now provides photo-ops for our leaders _ statements issued, visits to the hospitals, and then promise of relief materials until the next terror attack and the same routine is repeated. What Nigerians deserve is the safety of their lives and property, results not talk, action not statements. In the Global Terrorism Index 2026, just released by the Institute for Economics and Peace, Nigeria is ranked 4th in the world in the impact of terrorism survey with a 46 per cent rise in deaths and a 43 per cent increase in incidents in 2025. Whatever security partnerships the Tinubu administration enters into with the US, UK or France can only be meaningful if there is a measurable improvement in the country’s security situation.
President Tinubu held bilateral meetings with Prime Minister Keir Starmer at 10 Downing Street. He also met with the Nigerian community in the UK and attended an exhibition on Nigerian Modernism at the Tate Gallery, where he said: “We have come to renew everybody’s hope…” The Ministers also held meetings with their UK counterparts on matters of trade, business, climate change, investment, technology, immigration and cultural exchange. There were, however, too many Nigerians, who for one reason or the other followed the President to London. Before 17 March, there were delegations already in London to attend the Commonwealth Investment Summit, and the celebration of Nigerian Diaspora in the UK by King Charles II at St James’s Palace. After both events, the Nigerians participants stayed back waiting for the President. On the President’s entourage from 17 March, there were at least 10 ministers and other state officials, such as governors, senators and others. In 2024, President Tinubu, to reduce the cost of governance, had capped his delegation on foreign trips at not more than 20, the VP’s at five, and the First Lady’s at five also. It looked like there were more than 25 persons on the President and the First Lady’s delegations to the UK. Even the City Boy movement, led by Seyi Tinubu, was very well represented. But beyond all the ceremonies, what substance did we return with? Who stands to benefit?
One: Nigeria and UK signed a £746 million MoU for the modernisation of the Apapa and Tin Can Island ports in Lagos, with a finance package guaranteed by UK Export Finance, and Citibank UK. In the arrangement, £236 million worth of contracts will go to British firms, another £70 million will go to British Steel to supply 120,000 tonnes of steel to Hitech Nigeria and ITB Nigeria for the port upgrades. An Export Finance Deal is a loan, structured to benefit the UK first. Another MoU was signed to speed up the deportation of Nigerians with visa overstays, failed asylum seekers, and Nigerians in UK prisons. Zenith Bank opened a branch in Manchester. Fidelity Bank also expanded its presence in the UK. In the area of education, a deal was struck to have Coventry University set up a campus in Alaro City, Lagos State. Twinning Ovaltine is also to set up a £24 million manufacturing facility in Lagos. How nice would it have been if Nigeria’s steel companies were involved, but all our rolling mills and steel plants are in a terrible state of disrepair and abandonment. Why is a Nigerian bank also not part of the ports deal? And why do we need Coventry University to come and set up in Lagos when we can upgrade local universities? Why is the focus on Lagos ports alone, whereas there is a need to develop ports in other parts of Nigeria and decongest Lagos?
The signing of MoUs is not enough. There must be follow-up and follow through by the relevant departments of government and a proper assessment of timelines and goals met. Since 2023, the Tinubu administration must have signed over 35 MoUs, in addition to the boxes of abandoned MoUs inherited from past administrations. This has prompted Dr Leena Koni Hoffman in a Chatham House commentary on President Tinubu’s State Visit to argue that his global diplomacy efforts have yielded very little for the average Nigerian. That should never be the case. Her observations should be noted and addressed, not caterwauled against as spokespersons are wont to do.
Reuben Abati, a former presidential spokesperson, writes from Lagos.
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