…President On Schedule to Meet Prime Minister, King Charles
By Peter Salami
The United Kingdom has unveiled the official programme for the state visit of President Bola Tinubu scheduled for March 17 to 19, with a series of ceremonial events and high-level bilateral meetings planned at Windsor Castle and in London.
The visit, which officials say will strengthen diplomatic and economic relations between Nigeria and the UK, will feature engagements with the British royal family, meetings with government officials, and interactions with members of the Nigerian diaspora.
According to the itinerary released by British authorities, preparations for the visit will begin on March 17 with security sweeps, road closures, and procession rehearsals ahead of the president’s arrival.
Tinubu will arrive officially on March 18 and will be received by Prince William and Catherine, Princess of Wales.
A ceremonial welcome is scheduled to take place on Datchet Road, where the national anthems of both countries will be played, and the Nigerian leader will inspect a guard of honour.
Following the ceremony, Tinubu will join a carriage procession to Windsor Castle, where he will be formally received by King Charles III and Queen Camilla.
The programme includes a formal reception, a 21-gun salute, and a state luncheon at St George’s Hall.
Later in the day, the Nigerian president is expected to hold bilateral meetings with senior UK officials focusing on areas of cooperation such as trade, security, migration, and port development.
The day’s events will conclude with a cultural exchange programme showcasing Nigerian artefacts, followed by a state banquet hosted at Windsor Castle.
On March 19, Tinubu is scheduled to hold a private breakfast meeting with the King and Queen before travelling to London for further engagements.
While in the British capital, the president will lay a wreath at the Cenotaph in Westminster in honour of fallen soldiers.
Tinubu is also expected to meet with the United Kingdom Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, at 10 Downing Street for bilateral discussions and a working lunch.
Other engagements include a meeting with members of the Nigerian diaspora and the signing of bilateral agreements at Buckingham Palace.
The visit will conclude with Tinubu’s departure from RAF Northolt back to Nigeria.
Officials said the trip marks Nigeria’s first full state visit to the United Kingdom in 57 years.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has alleged that an embattled mining company, Jupiter Ltd, is planning what it described as a campaign to embarrass Nigeria during the president’s visit.
The Ministry of Solid Minerals Development said the alleged move was intended to discredit ongoing reforms in the country’s mining sector and mislead the international community over the revocation of certain mineral licences.
In a statement issued by the Special Assistant on Media to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Segun Tomori, the ministry dismissed claims that Nigeria seized a British lithium project under armed guard, describing the allegation as false and misleading.
Tomori said the Federal Government had no legal or contractual relationship with any company known as Jupiter Lithium, stressing that Nigerian mining laws do not allow foreign companies to directly hold mineral titles.
“It has come to the attention of the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development that an embattled mining firm, Jupiter Ltd, plans to orchestrate a campaign of calumny against the Federal Government of Nigeria during the state visit of President Bola Tinubu to the United Kingdom,” the statement said.
The ministry said the controversy stemmed from the revocation of mineral titles belonging to Basin Mining Ltd, a Nigerian company linked to an Australian national, Steve Davis.
According to the government, the revocation followed the company’s failure to meet statutory financial obligations under Nigeria’s mining regulations.
Tomori stated that Basin Mining Ltd lost its mineral titles after failing to pay statutory annual service fees amounting to N2.494bn for the 2024 and 2025 fiscal years.
The unpaid fees covered mineral titles 45454ML, 45117ML, 45118ML, 40532ML and 40533ML, which were subsequently revoked after due notice was served on the company in line with existing regulations.
The ministry also rejected claims that the licences were reassigned to a Chinese firm, describing the allegation as a fabrication aimed at misleading the public and the international community.
It further alleged that Davis had interests in several mining companies operating in Nigeria, including Comet Minerals Ltd, Basin Mining Ltd, Range Mining Ltd, Northern Numero Ltd, Sunrise Minerals Ltd, and Iron Ore Mining Ltd.
According to the government, such arrangements are commonly used by speculators to acquire mineral titles without undertaking actual mining operations.
The ministry said the practice had contributed to the problem of dormant mining licences and illegal mining activities in the sector.
It added that the Federal Government remained determined to end such practices as part of ongoing reforms aimed at repositioning the mining sector as a major contributor to economic growth.
“The Federal Government of Nigeria cannot and will not be intimidated or blackmailed into abandoning reforms by the antics of any individual or company,” Tomori said.
“Our commitment to transforming the mining sector into a major contributor to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product is unwavering.”
The ministry urged Nigerians and international stakeholders to disregard what it described as attempts by discredited individuals to undermine the country’s reform agenda.
Nigeria has intensified efforts in recent years to develop its solid mineral resources, including lithium, gold, iron ore, and rare earth elements, as part of a broader strategy to diversify the economy away from crude oil.
Tinubu’s visit to the United Kingdom, scheduled for March 18 to 19, follows an invitation from King Charles III and is expected to focus on strengthening diplomatic and economic ties between both countries in areas such as trade, investment, security, and migration.