

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s state visit to the UK this week is the first by a Nigerian leader since General Ibrahim Babangida in 1989.
Hosted by King Charles III, a state visit is the UK’s highest level of diplomatic visit and uses royal ceremony to signal and strengthen relations with key partners. It is being framed in Abuja as a landmark moment, showcasing the ‘unique bond’between the two countries and inaugurating ‘a new era of cooperation’.
Tinubu’s visit will provide an opportunity to further operationalize the Nigeria-UK Strategic Partnership, signed in November 2024 during Foreign Secretary David Lammy’s visit to Nigeria, and the February 2024 Enhanced Trade and Investment Partnership (ETIP).
The visit is also in line with Tinubu’s embrace of a foreign policy approach that centres high-profile meetings and visible diplomacy. Tinubu’s foreign policy has been rhetorically polished and sometimes strategically astute; it reflects Nigeria’s profile as a regional power and a key Commonwealth state, and has opened channels for deeper economic and security cooperation.
But nearly three years into Tinubu’s presidency, the key question is whether this visibility-driven foreign policy has delivered domestic gains. So far, the president’s prominent international profile has not largely translated into improvements in material conditions for most Nigerians.
Tinubu has engaged in frequent presidential travel, maintaining a visible presence at summits across Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa. His trips – and those of senior officials – have drawn criticism for their cost amid rising poverty, hunger and falling purchasing power back home.
Foreign minister Yusuf Tuggar has articulated a ‘4D Foreign Policy’ – built on democracy, development, demography and diaspora – and advocated for Nigeria’s strategic autonomy. But in practice, Nigeria’s diplomatic capacity has lagged behind its rhetoric. Ambassadorial appointments have been slow or seen as politicized, weakening diplomatic capacity to implement the administration’s agenda.
Tinubu’s administration has also sought international validation for its key domestic reforms – fuel subsidy removal, naira devaluation and tax reform. His team cites various policy achievements as proof of success. These include headline inflation falling from above 30 per cent in 2024 to around 15 per centlast month; a stabilizing naira; Nigeria’s removal from the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) grey list; S&P raising its outlook to ‘positive’; and renewed investor interest.
However, for many Nigerians, the combination of subsidy removal, devaluation and tougher taxation with weak safety nets recalls the ‘shock therapy’ of the late 1980s, when IMF-aligned reforms under General Babangida produced lasting social costs.
Poverty remains high, food insecurity has risen, household spending remains weak and credit remains expensive for small firms. Growth is concentrated in capital-intensive sectors such as finance and ICT, while agriculture remain constrained by insecurity and structural bottlenecks. Nigeria’s deficits in education, skills and health are having a more negative impact on future earnings than in other comparable economies.
Tinubu’s London visit will likely focus on leveraging the UK-Nigeria ETIP to attract investment in energy, infrastructure, technology and services – sectors where UK firms are competitive. However, any potential investments are unlikely to fix Nigeria’s struggling economy or reverse the structural drivers of migration, such as rampant insecurity and weak public services.
UK-Nigeria trade is significant, but not top-tier. It reached £8.1 billion in figures for 2025, up 11.4 per cent on the preceding year. Nigeria is the UK’s 36th largest trading partner, with the balance of trade in the UK’s favour. In comparison, Nigeria’s trade with China exceeded $22 billion (around £16.5 billion) between January and October 2025.
The UK is also a major source of FDI and a key destination for Nigerian migrants. Nigerians were one of the largest non-EU nationalities to immigrate to the UK in 2025, and remittances form an important element of Nigeria’s external accounts.
However, much of Nigeria’s non-African commerce is still dominated by hydrocarbons and imported manufactured goods, rather than higher-value non-oil exports. This pattern leaves the country vulnerable to commodity price swings and reflects structural constraints at home: roughly 85 million Nigerians still lack access to grid power. Despite a new Electricity Act in 2023, outcomes remain poor, with frequent outages.
Nigeria’s trade with other African countries also remains low. Nigeria earned roughly $478 million from exports to ECOWAS markets in 2025 – a comparatively modest amount. Despite Abuja’s vocal support for the African Continental Free Trade Agreement and its plans to host the fifth Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) in 2027, African markets remain underexploited.
While Tinubu may secure UK investment during his visit, these deeper patterns raise doubts about whether this economic diplomacy is reducing Nigeria’s reliance on non-African trade or its exposure to global shocks. Instead, more focus is needed on tackling long-term structural challenges – especially in electricity, education and health.
Security should also be a key focus of the visit. Nigeria remains locked in conflicts across multiple fronts. The jihadist insurgency in the northeast continues, while organized criminality and kidnappings plague the northwest and central Nigeria. Nigeria ranks 6th on the 2025 Global Terrorism Index.
In early February, Nigeria’s Ministry of Defence announced the deepening of defence cooperation with the UK, building on existing training, intelligence, counterterrorism and maritime cooperation. The state visit is expected to formalize and expand this agenda, potentially improving operational capabilities.
So far, security partnerships with the UK and others have improved technical capacity – particularly in maritime security, counter-IED work and some aspects of air operations. But they have not produced discernible improvement in everyday security.
Killings, kidnappings and displacement remain widespread. ACLED data indicates at least 12,860 people were killed in political violence in the past year.
On Sun, Mar 22, 2026 at 3:48 AM, Ishola Williams<isholaw...@gmail.com> wrote:PO is ready to be VP to be VP on Atiku's Tocket.The NE and NW will vote for Atiku while SS,SE and Lagos would vote PO.The Govs who are strangers to APC are deceiving BAT just like Gov Soludo cannot stop NdiAnambra voting for PO.This is the way ahead.Be well.iwIshola WilliamsMaj-Gen (Rtd)Exec SecPANAFSTRAGLagos.08056210960
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On Sun, Mar 22, 2026 at 3:48 AM, Ishola Williams<isholaw...@gmail.com> wrote:
PO is ready to be VP to be VP on Atiku's Tocket.The NE and NW will vote for Atiku while SS,SE and Lagos would vote PO.The Govs who are strangers to APC are deceiving BAT just like Gov Soludo cannot stop NdiAnambra voting for PO.This is the way ahead.Be well.iwIshola WilliamsMaj-Gen (Rtd)Exec SecPANAFSTRAGLagos.08056210960
On Sun, Mar 22, 2026, 5:21 AM 'Nebukadineze Adiele' via ||NaijaObserver|| <naijao...@googlegroups.com> wrote:
On Sun, Mar 22, 2026 at 7:46 AM, Kayode Adebayo<kayu...@yahoo.com> wrote:
There is no question that peter Obi was an achiever while governor, accomplished a lot on his personal life, is frugal and visionary in running a government, and is incorruptible -- unlike 99.9% of Nigerian politicians. Peter Obi would have made a better president than the absolute failure that is Ahmed Tinubu's presidency, but what startles some of us who have some hope in him is his political misjudgments.Why did Peter Obi join ADC? If he doesn't know that he can never obtain that party's presidential candidate nomination over Atiku Abubakar, then he is so politically naive that he will never become president of Nigeria. ADC is Atiku Abubakar's party -- the party is full of his minions and lackeys who would not was a second nominating him for president. Peter Obi must know this, so why did he join the party, is he indirectly withdrawing from running for president?
Pastor Ọkala can you answer any of these questions?Nebukadineze Adiele
On Saturday, March 21, 2026 at 11:54:59 PM EDT, Chukwuemeka Okala <reu...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
ANOTHER REASON TO ENTRUST NIGERIA IN THE HANDS OF PETER OBI COME 2027
When some people enter politics, the first thing they ask for is what they can take.
But here is a man who reportedly rejected an oil block — one of the most lucrative privileges in Nigeria.
Peter Obi chose to walk away from billions that many politicians would fight for.
The real question Nigerians should ask is simple:
How many of our politicians today can look at an oil block and say “No”?
Leadership is not about how much you grab from the system…
It’s about what you are willing to sacrifice for the country. 🇳🇬Culled from my Social Media handle
There is no question that peter Obi was an achiever while governor, accomplished a lot on his personal life, is frugal and visionary in running a government, and is incorruptible -- unlike 99.9% of Nigerian politicians. Peter Obi would have made a better president than the absolute failure that is Ahmed Tinubu's presidency, but what startles some of us who have some hope in him is his political misjudgments.Why did Peter Obi join ADC? If he doesn't know that he can never obtain that party's presidential candidate nomination over Atiku Abubakar, then he is so politically naive that he will never become president of Nigeria. ADC is Atiku Abubakar's party -- the party is full of his minions and lackeys who would not was a second nominating him for president. Peter Obi must know this, so why did he join the party, is he indirectly withdrawing from running for president?
Pastor Ọkala can you answer any of these questions?Nebukadineze Adiele
On Saturday, March 21, 2026 at 11:54:59 PM EDT, Chukwuemeka Okala <reu...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
ANOTHER REASON TO ENTRUST NIGERIA IN THE HANDS OF PETER OBI COME 2027
When some people enter politics, the first thing they ask for is what they can take.
But here is a man who reportedly rejected an oil block — one of the most lucrative privileges in Nigeria.
Peter Obi chose to walk away from billions that many politicians would fight for.
The real question Nigerians should ask is simple:
How many of our politicians today can look at an oil block and say “No”?
Leadership is not about how much you grab from the system…
It’s about what you are willing to sacrifice for the country. 🇳🇬Culled from my Social Media handle
On Mar 22, 2026, at 12:51, Nebukadineze Adiele <nebuka...@aol.com> wrote:
ANOTHER REASON TO ENTRUST NIGERIA IN THE HANDS OF PETER OBI COME 2027
When some people enter politics, the first thing they ask for is what they can take.
But here is a man who reportedly rejected an oil block — one of the most lucrative privileges in Nigeria.
Peter Obi chose to walk away from billions that many politicians would fight for.
The real question Nigerians should ask is simple:
How many of our politicians today can look at an oil block and say “No”?
Leadership is not about how much you grab from the system…
It’s about what you are willing to sacrifice for the country. 🇳🇬Culled from my Social Media handle
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"Why did Peter Obi join ADC? If he doesn't know that he can never obtain that party's presidential candidate nomination over Atiku Abubakar, then he is so politically naive that he will never become president of Nigeria. ADC is Atiku Abubakar's party -- the party is full of his minions and lackeys who would not was a second nominating him for president." - Nebukadineze Adiele"In the present situation,Atiku can make PO a strong VP like Ekwueme in Shagari days and enable his Presidency thereafter." - Gen Ishola WilliamsComment:Peter Obi hesitated but finally joined ADC out of necessity, calculation and wisdom.You may want to know that the Labour Party (LP) was maliciously ravaged by Tinubu and his APC through the open, willing and welcoming hands of some gluttonous and heartless big wigs of the Labour Party, so much so that Peter Obi had no breathing space for survival in that once articulate party, that he became constrained to leave his once beloved LP.Considering the composition of the ADC at the time, it didn't look like a a party of Atiku's apologists, albeit it may have gradually transitioned to that in the course of passage of time. So, you won't blame him for joining a party that looked/looks determined to flush-out President Tinubu's ineptitude and substitute it for a progressively purposeful administration that would put Nigeria aptly on the global map.Peter Obi cannot afford to accept to become Atiku's or anyone's running mate, because that would mean shooting himself BADLY in the foot. And he knows it! He would lose ALL his followers and supporters - including this writer at one fell swoop. May that not happen!Atiku is basically empty and has NOTHING to offer to Nigeria. A president Tinubu would be, by far, better than a president Atiku. Look at that that!! So, the buck stops with the ADC.If ADC really means well for Nigeria as they want us to believe, they should do whatever it takes legitimately, even if it's producing a consensus candidate to give Peter Obi the flying fag of the Party. He has the wherewithal and he is visibly more than patriotic to lead the country, like the biblical Joshua, to the Promised Land.I wish Nigeria (my country) well. MekaEmeka Reuben OkalaLondon, UK"Faith and reason are not necessarily opposed. But when reason won't take you another step, faith keeps on going because it connects you to God."
General Ishola Williams:Your Peter Obidiot is a desperate political prostitute. He flirts with whoever in Nigeria, in order to be president, after Atiku dashed his hope of getting ADC ticket.Just a few days ago, he was hobnobbing with the wounded and defeated Kwankwaso, who has already lost Kano State to Tinubu, trying to ally with him. He went to Kano to attend Kwankwaso's political event and claimed he was not there for politics.Unfortunately for Peter Obidiot, both of them cannot defeat Atiku to win the ADC presidential ticket, if Kwankwaso joins ADC. Like I said several times before, Atiku is ADC and ADC is Atiku. Yet, ADC has not won a single election in Nigeria since Atiku and his co-travelers including Peter Obidiot joined ADC. All elections have been won by APC, except one Local Government won by the damaged beyond repairs PDP. ADC has been rendered politically irrelevant by APC. ADC is a resurrection of the damaged beyond repairs PDP.My Yoruba people say, the sign of a good Friday begins on Thursday, the eve of Friday. Local Government elections are the most important elections in Nigeria, because that's where the grassroot voters are and APC has so far won them handedly.I've predicted all presidential elections in Nigeria since 1979 with 100% precision and accuracy. And all of them came out to be true just like I predicted, including the last presidential election and I've predicted the 2027 presidential election for Tinubu since last year. I always predict elections far ahead of time.If I were you, I would advise Peter Obidiot to go back to trading spare parts at Alaba Market before it's too late, in order to save face from his imminent defeat by Tinubu. The fool is a trader, not a leader. He doesn't have any leadership acumen and qualities. He is an incompetent opportunist.Kayode
On Mon, Mar 23, 2026 at 4:28 AM, Ishola Williams<isholaw...@gmail.com> wrote:
There are no political parties in Nigeria but Politrickal Groups and Alliances led by Kleptocrats with no strategic foresight.PO too has none when he was honest about not beating Atiku for the Presidential ticket. In the present situation,Atiku can make PO a strong VP like Ekwueme in Shagari days and enable his Presidency thereafter.APC can only rig massively in the North but most Northerners donot want BAT to continue.PO is floating about with Kwankwaso, Makinde and Dickson who are yet to join ADC because Makinde wants to be President too, Kwankwaso is ready as VP to any Southerner while Dickson wants political relevance.They can not bring in the votes he needs in the North.PO has only few weeks before he becomes irrelevant.iw
Ishola WilliamsMaj-Gen (Rtd)Exec SecPANAFSTRAGLagos.08056210960
On Mon, 23 Mar 2026, 04:11 Nebukadineze Adiele, <nebuka...@aol.com> wrote:
I said it in these forums before your gullible leader called Peter Obidiot joined ADC that ADC is Atiku's party. That Atiku was inviting Peter Obidiot to join ADC to bolster his own status as Presidential candidate of the party and was only planning to use him. But you disagreed with me at the time because of your gullibility. You didn't have the foresight to know that Atiku was only playing on his intelligence."Considering the composition of the ADC at the time, it didn't look like a a party of Atiku's apologists, albeit it may have gradually transitioned to that in the course of passage of time" -- Pastor Emeka Okala
Atiku is basically empty and has NOTHING to offer to Nigeria. A president Tinubu would be, by far, better than a president Atiku. Look at that that!! So, the buck stops with the ADC.(Pastor Ọkala)
"Why did Peter Obi join ADC? If he doesn't know that he can never obtain that party's presidential candidate nomination over Atiku Abubakar, then he is so politically naive that he will never become president of Nigeria. ADC is Atiku Abubakar's party -- the party is full of his minions and lackeys who would not waste a second nominating him for president." - Nebukadineze Adiele
Why did Peter Obi join ADC? If he doesn't know that he can never obtain that party's presidential candidate nomination over Atiku Abubakar, then he is so politically naive that he will never become president of Nigeria. ADC is Atiku Abubakar's party -- the party is full of his minions and lackeys who would not waste a second nominating him for president. Peter Obi must know this, so why did he join the party, is he indirectly withdrawing from running for president?
Pastor Ọkala can you answer any of these questions?Nebukadineze Adiele
On Saturday, March 21, 2026 at 11:54:59 PM EDT, Chukwuemeka Okala <reu...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
ANOTHER REASON TO ENTRUST NIGERIA IN THE HANDS OF PETER OBI COME 2027
When some people enter politics, the first thing they ask for is what they can take.
But here is a man who reportedly rejected an oil block — one of the most lucrative privileges in Nigeria.
Peter Obi chose to walk away from billions that many politicians would fight for.
The real question Nigerians should ask is simple:
How many of our politicians today can look at an oil block and say “No”?
Leadership is not about how much you grab from the system…
It’s about what you are willing to sacrifice for the country. 🇳🇬Culled from my Social Media handle
--
To join this group, send email to naijao...@googlegroups.com
View this message at https://groups.google.com/a/googlegroups.com/d/msg/naijaobserver/topic-id/message-id
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Sahara Reporters
Justice James Omotosho delivered the judgment on Monday, March 23, 2026, after finding Nwabuoku guilty on multiple counts of money laundering in a case prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) involving N868,465,000.
On Mar 22, 2026, at 23:12, Nebukadineze Adiele <nebuka...@aol.com> wrote:
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I Atiku with you wholly in the above statement, Chukwuemeka, and it is because of the sentiment above that I was shocked when Peter Obi joined ADC. This useless party, ADC is full of all those wretched PDP and APC disgruntled, corrupt, unpatriotic, and visionless, and political mediocre bunches who ganged up and threw president Jonathan out of office; this party has nothing useful for Nigerians, its sole purpose is electing Atiku Abubakar president of Nigeria. It will not succeed because Nigerians have long decided on Atiku Abubakar -- he is unfit to be their president. Unlike in the past, when Buhari tried four times before becoming president, it won't happen that Atiku Abubakar became president of Nigeria in 2027 having been trying since 1992, so Obi should not disgrace himself and squander his followings by settling as VP of Atiku's.Nebukadineze Adiele
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On Fri, Mar 27, 2026 at 3:40 AM, Gee Kay<gke...@gmail.com> wrote:
You are a sick whore born son of dog!
On Fri, Mar 27, 2026 at 2:26 AM 'Kayode Adebayo' via ||NaijaObserver|| <naijao...@googlegroups.com> wrote:
Liar And Empty Head Called George Kerley:
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On Fri, Mar 27, 2026 at 3:38 AM, Gee Kay<gke...@gmail.com> wrote:
To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/naijaobserver/580547919.666513.1774610912947%40mail.yahoo.com.