FG addresses criticisms surrounding Tinubu’s UK visit

The Federal Government has defended the planned state visit of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the United Kingdom, dismissing criticism surrounding the trip and insisting it reflects the long-standing strategic ties between both countries.

Nigeria’s Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said some of the reactions to the visit were either based on poor understanding of government policies or deliberate attempts to misrepresent the purpose of the engagement.

“We know that Nigeria has had its own fair share of criticism about some of those policies that were instituted back home, some of them arising from a lack of adequate knowledge and some out of sheer mischief,” Idris said while addressing international media in the UK.

He stressed that the visit by President Tinubu underscores the historic relationship between Nigeria and Britain, describing it as a partnership built over decades on diplomacy, trade, education, and security cooperation.

According to him, “President Tinubu’s visit provides an important opportunity to strengthen collaboration across critical areas, including trade and investment, security cooperation, climate action, education, and technological innovation.”

President Tinubu is expected to arrive in the UK on March 18 for the state visit, where he and the First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, will be hosted by King Charles III at Windsor Castle.

The visit will make Tinubu the fifth Nigerian leader to receive a UK state honour, following previous visits by Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Yakubu Gowon, Shehu Shagari, and Ibrahim Babangida.