Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, is scheduled to preach at Lambeth Palace in London on Thursday, as part of the country’s first state visit to the United Kingdom in nearly four decades.
Lambeth Palace serves as the official residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury.
President Bola Tinubu and his wife arrived at London’s Stansted Airport on Tuesday, marking the commencement of the high-profile diplomatic visit.
According to the official itinerary reported by AFP, the Nigerian First Lady will also meet with representatives of the Church of England on the same day as her scheduled sermon.
Ahead of the engagement at Lambeth Palace, President Tinubu and the First Lady are expected to meet King Charles III on Wednesday. The schedule also includes an engagement with the heir to the British throne, Prince William, and his wife, Catherine, who will accompany the Nigerian delegation to Windsor.
King Charles III will later host President Tinubu at Windsor Castle, where a state banquet is planned in honour of the visiting Nigerian leader.
The visit underscores the longstanding diplomatic and economic ties between Nigeria and the United Kingdom. Both countries maintain strong partnerships in trade, aid, and defence, with London also hosting a large Nigerian diaspora community.
In November 2024, Abuja and London formalised a strategic partnership aimed at strengthening cooperation in key areas including economic development, immigration, and security.
Trade relations between both nations have also seen significant growth, reaching £8.1 billion (approximately $11 billion) in the year leading up to September 2025—an 11.4 per cent increase year-on-year.
As part of the visit, President Tinubu is also expected to hold talks with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and engage with members of the Nigerian community in the UK.
The current trip marks the first state visit by a Nigerian leader to the United Kingdom since 1989, highlighting its diplomatic significance.
