Oluwole Oke, chairman of the house of representatives committee on foreign affairs, says President Bola Tinubu’s two-day official visit to the United Kingdom has repositioned Nigeria on the global stage.
Following an invitation from King Charles III, Tinubu departed Abuja on Tuesday for London, accompanied by his wife and other top government officials.
The state visit, scheduled to end on Thursday, represents the highest level of diplomatic engagement hosted by the British monarchy and marks the first visit of such scale by a Nigerian leader to the UK in 37 years.
Speaking on Channels Television on Wednesday, Oke, who represents Obokun/Oriade federal constituency of Osun state in the green chamber, said beyond economic benefits, Tinubu’s UK visit has elevated Nigeria’s profile internationally.
“This state visit is not just an honour to the President and his family, but to all Nigerians,” he said.
“For the United Kingdom to invite a president on a state visit, they must have strong confidence in our reforms and in the governance under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
During the visit, Tinubu is expected to meet with Keir Starmer, UK prime minister, in a high-level bilateral engagement aimed at strengthening ties between Nigeria and Britain.
Reports indicate that a major highlight of the visit is the signing of a £746 million financing agreement between UK export finance, the Nigerian Ports Authority, and the Federal Ministry of Finance.
Oke said at the end of the visit, the British government will be looking forward to numerous opportunities for partnership between the two countries.
He also noted the importance of the maritime deal, which he said, would create jobs and generate huge revenue for the federal government.
“This kind of investment will have linkage effects that will snowball into employment,” he said.
“Participants in that sector will make profits, pay taxes, and, as you know, public finance relies on taxation. So, it is a positive development, and there will be many win-win outcomes. This invitation has further repositioned Nigeria on the global stage.” (TheCable)
The United Kingdom and Nigeria have sealed new export agreements as both countries committed to taking their economic partnership to another level, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Thursday.
Starmer made the disclosure during a bilateral meeting with President Bola Tinubu at 10 Downing Street on the second day of the Nigerian leader’s historic state visit to Britain.
“Today is the opportunity to take that to another level with the agreements that we’ve been able to reach on exports, and I think that shows we can go even further than we’ve already gone,” the British Prime Minister stated.
Tinubu, in his remarks, revealed that Nigeria is currently undergoing “very strong reform of the economy” and linked the terrorism challenges facing West Africa to climate change conflict.
“We need more trade agreements and economic relationships that we build between nations. Nigeria is currently going through a very strong reform of the economy,” Tinubu said during the meeting at 10 Downing Street.
The President described Nigeria as facing significant challenges, stating, “The largest country in West Africa, and on the continent, is challenged by terrorism coming from the conflict of climate change.”
Tinubu emphasised that both countries face global economic challenges, noting, “Currently, the entire world is challenged. Nigeria is not immune. Britain is not immune.”
He said the discussions focused on the “economic welfare of the people and how we can work together to improve livelihood” amid economic volatility.
The President affirmed that Thursday’s bilateral discussions would address what Britain can do to “accelerate the friendship, partnership and collaboration” between both nations.
On his part, Prime Minister Starmer described the visit as historic, noting it was the first inward state visit for 37 years by a Nigerian leader.
“The long and shared history between our countries is obvious and much valued, as is the people-to-people contact and engagement that enriches lives here in the United Kingdom,” Starmer said.
He noted that both countries already collaborate on economy, defence, and security matters but expressed determination to deepen the partnership.
“Today is the opportunity to take that to another level with the agreements that we’ve been able to reach on exports,” the Prime Minister stated.
Nigeria became the United Kingdom’s biggest export market in Africa in January 2026, with bilateral trade continuing to expand.
King Charles III had disclosed on Wednesday night at a state banquet that visitors from Nigeria spent £178m in Britain in 2024, while 251,000 people from Britain travelled to Nigeria and spent just as much in return.
The state visit, which began on Wednesday, March 18, saw the signing of several memoranda of understanding and agreements covering trade, investment, defence, and cultural cooperation.
A major outcome already announced is a £746m financing deal involving UK Export Finance, the Nigerian Ports Authority, and the Ministry of Finance for the refurbishment of Lagos Port Complex (Apapa) and Tin Can Island Port.
The bilateral meeting at Downing Street followed Wednesday night’s state banquet at Windsor Castle, where King Charles III acknowledged “painful marks” in the shared history between both nations while praising Nigeria’s transformation and the contributions of the Nigerian diaspora to British society.
The state visit, the first by a Nigerian president since 1989 when former military leader Ibrahim Babangida was hosted by Queen Elizabeth II, concludes on Thursday with President Tinubu expected to return to Nigeria. (Punch)
The Iranian and Russian regimes are “brothers in hatred”, Volodymyr Zelensky has told MPs and peers, as he warned about the dangers of drone warfare.
Addressing around 120 parliamentarians in a Westminster committee room, the Ukrainian president highlighted how Tehran was selling Shahed ‘kamikaze’ drones to Moscow, which had been used in Ukraine.
He also warned against easing sanctions on Russian oil, saying it was “crucial” to keep up the pressure against Moscow.
The US has temporarily eased sanctions on some Russian oil in an attempt to tackle surging prices triggered by the conflict in the Middle East.
Among those in the audience in a packed committee room were Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, Nato secretary-general Mark Rutte, Defence Secretary John Healey and leaders of opposition parties.
In his speech, Zelensky sought to link the headline-generating war in the Middle East with the long-running conflict in Ukraine.
He argued that Ukrainians were now pioneers in modern warfare and schooled in techniques they could share with allies.
In its fight against Russia, Ukraine has been using cheap, mass-produced interceptor drones to defend its skies.
Zelensky said there were now 201 Ukrainian military experts in the Middle East, with another 44 ready to deploy, who were sharing their knowledge on how to defend against Iranian drones.
He added that Ukraine was “ready to offer similar deals to all our reliable partners”.
On a TV screen, Zelensky demonstrated how Ukraine was mapping Russian strikes and defensive action against them in real time.
He explained how using technology as simple as an iPad allowed Ukrainian commanders to control the country’s security.
Zelensky added that during a meeting earlier at Buckingham Palace, he gave the King the iPad “as a sign of respect and gratitude”, to “strengthen our cooperation with the United Kingdom”.
Earlier, Sir Keir said “the focus must remain on Ukraine” despite the Iran war, ahead of a meeting with Zelensky.
Welcoming the Ukrainian leader to No 10, the prime minister said: “Putin can’t be the one who benefits from a conflict in Iran, whether that’s oil prices or the dropping of sanctions.”
During their meeting, the leaders agreed a new defence partnership aimed at tackling cheap attack drones.
Downing Street said the deal would bring together “Ukrainian expertise and the UK’s industrial base” to manufacture and supply drones and other capabilities.
Under the partnership between the UK and Ukraine, closer co-operation in the defence industries will also be sought with third countries as part of efforts to bolster international security.
Britain will also give £500,000 to fund an AI centre of excellence in Kyiv.
It comes as the US-Israeli war with Iran enters a third week, while US President Donald Trump continues to criticise the UK and other countries over the extent of their response to the conflict.
Rising oil prices are fuelling Russia’s war machine, while Ukraine’s allies are distracted and divided over the Middle East.
Zelensky is currently on a tour of European capitals to shore up support and keep his conflict at the forefront of allies’ minds. (BBC)
President Bola Tinubu has met Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer as part of his two-day state visit to the United Kingdom.
They met on the steps of 10 Downing Street in central London on Thursday.
The president’s historic state visit to the UK is the first state visit by a Nigerian president in 37 years (since the last one before the return to democracy in 1999).
Tinubu arrived in the UK on Tuesday, where he was received by King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Windsor Castle.
The visit included royal engagements, a state banquet, and discussions on various bilateral issues. It involved closed-door bilateral talks.
The president is expected to sign a £746 million financing deal related to port infrastructure, along with other agreements/MoUs on trade, defence, and culture.
Today also marks the final day of the visit, after a farewell from the royal family. (Channels)
Sir Keir Starmer has defended the government’s approach to the conflict in Iran, saying protecting British nationals is his “number one priority”.
It comes after President Trump criticised the prime minister for refusing to allow the use of UK bases in the initial US-Israel strikes on Saturday, saying he is “no Winston Churchill”.
During Prime Minister’s Questions Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch accused Sir Keir of “asking our allies to do what we should be doing ourselves” by not taking “offensive action” after British bases in Bahrain and Cyprus were attacked.
But the PM said he was not prepared for the UK to join a war without “a lawful basis and a viable, thought-through plan”.
On Sunday the UK agreed to a US request to use British military bases but only for defensive strikes on Iranian missile sites.
However, Trump has responded angrily to Sir Keir’s refusal to be involved in the initial strikes, describing the decision as “shocking” and saying the UK-US relationship was “not what it was”.
Dismissing suggestions the relationship between the two countries had been weakened, Sir Keir said US planes operating out of British bases was “the special relationship in action” not “hanging on to President Trump’s latest words”.
Sir Keir said: “We’re taking action to reduce the threat with planes in the sky in the region intercepting incoming strikes, deploying more capability to Cyprus, and allowing US planes to use UK bases to take out Iran’s capability to strike.
“What I was not prepared to do on Saturday was for the UK to join a war unless I was satisfied there was a lawful basis and a viable, thought-through plan. That remains my position.”
The PM said the government had also been pre-deploying capabilities in the region for a number of weeks, including radar systems, ground-based air defence, counter-drone systems and F35 jets.
He added that wildcat helicopters with anti-drone capabilities would be in Cyprus this week, with a Royal Navy warship, HMS Dragon, also deployed to the region.
However, Badenoch accused the PM of “catching arrows rather than stopping the archer” in his approach.
“I would say to Labour MPs, we are in this war whether they like it or not. What is the prime minister waiting for?” she added.
She pointed out HMS Dragon was still in Portsmouth and the government “should be doing more”.
The Conservative leader also criticised the government for not investing more in defence.
In response, Sir Keir accused the Conservatives of cutting the defence budget, missing Army recruitment targets and leaving forces “hollowed out” when they were in government.
Following PMQs, western officials said HMS Dragon was expected to sail from Portsmouth next week, with the warship currently being loaded with ammunition.
Two Royal Navy Wildcat helicopters, armed with Martlet missiles capable of shooting down drones, are expected to arrive in Cyprus separately and sooner.
A western official said that so far US bombers have not used the British bases of Diego Garcia or RAF Fairford – but said the UK was ready to accept them. The official said he expected them to arrive within the next few days.
Earlier, former Conservative Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said he thought the prime minister had “made a big misjudgement” by not allowing the US to use British military bases for offensive strikes on Iran.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that international law was “not settled on this issue” and depended on whether there was an imminent risk of attack from Iran.
Hunt said the Americans had a significant role in defending Europe and in this situation, “to weaken our alliance with the United States was a big mistake”.
“President Trump is not interested in that rules-based order,” Hunt said.
“He’s said so absolutely explicitly. And we have to recognise the brute strength of the American military is something we depend on now in Europe and will depend on for at least a decade.”
Gen Sir Richard Shirreff, a retired British Army officer, said the UK “has got to focus on its interests” because “America has made it clear it’s not going to underwrite European security”.
Sir Richard, Nato’s former deputy supreme allied commander Europe, said it was in Britain’s interest to protect its military bases abroad.
“There is absolutely a case for getting involved,” Sir Richard said. “But I would not get involved in any way, shape or form in an operation where the end-stage is not clear.
“There is clearly no strategy and yet again we have an American president who has launched a war of choice with no clear understanding where this thing is going to end.”
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Tuesday his government was writing to the Commonwealth realms that it would back the removal for former prince Andrew from the line of royal succession.
Albanese said he had been in touch with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer about the former royal who is being investigated for alleged misconduct in public office, after new revelations of his links to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
“Australia likes being first and we have made sure that everyone knows what our position is and we’ll be writing today to the other realm countries as well, informing them of our position,” Albanese told public broadcaster ABC.
Albanese told reporters that Australians were “disgusted” by the “grave” revelations.
“King Charles has said that the law must now take its full course. There must be a full, fair and proper investigation. And that needs to occur,” he added.
Meanwhile, New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s office said it would also back such a move, in a statement to media on Tuesday.
“The bottom line is no one is above the law, and once that investigation is closed, should the UK government decide to remove him from the line of succession, that is something we would support,” Luxon told reporters after the statement was released.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly Prince Andrew, is the third child of late Queen Elizabeth II.
He is currently eighth in the royal line of succession, behind Prince William; William’s children Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis; William’s brother Prince Harry; and Harry’s children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
Last week, Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested on suspicion of leaking confidential government documents while in public office. The allegations originate from documents released by the US Department of Justice as part of the so-called Epstein Files.
The UK Police released Mountbatten-Windsor “under investigation” after 11 hours in custody but the arrest itself was unprecedented in modern British history.
Mountbatten Windsor has denied any wrongdoing over his ties to Epstein, having been named by Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre in her posthumous memoir, but has not responded to the latest allegations.
In response to the investigation, the British government said it was considering introducing legislation to ensure the former prince could never be king. The Commonwealth realms would also have to consent to the move for a formal removal. (DW)
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called U.S. President Donald Trump’s comments about European troops staying off the front lines in Afghanistan insulting and appalling, joining a chorus of criticism from other European officials and veterans.
“I consider President Trump’s remarks to be insulting and frankly appalling, and I’m not surprised they’ve caused such hurt for the loved ones of those who were killed or injured,” Starmer told reporters.
When asked whether he would demand an apology from the U.S. leader, Starmer said: “If I had misspoken in that way or said those words, I would certainly apologize.”
Britain lost 457 service personnel killed in Afghanistan, its deadliest overseas war since the 1950s. For several of the war’s most intense years it led the allied campaign in Helmand, Afghanistan’s biggest and most violent province, while also fighting as the main U.S. battlefield ally in Iraq.
Starmer’s remarks were notably strong coming from a leader who has tended to avoid direct criticism of Trump in public.
Trump told Fox Business Network’s “Mornings with Maria” on Thursday the United States had “never needed” the transatlantic alliance and accused allies of staying “a little off the front lines” in Afghanistan.
His remarks added to already strained relations with European allies after he used the World Economic Forum in the Swiss ski resort of Davos to again signal his interest in acquiring Greenland.
Dutch Foreign Minister David van Weel condemned Trump’s remarks on Afghanistan, calling them untrue and disrespectful.
Britain’s Prince Harry, who served in Afghanistan, also weighed in. “Those sacrifices deserve to be spoken about truthfully and with respect,” he said in a statement.
“We expect an apology for this statement,” Roman Polko, a retired Polish general and former special forces commander who also served in Afghanistan and Iraq, told Reuters in an interview.
Trump has “crossed a red line”, he added. “We paid with blood for this alliance. We truly sacrificed our own lives.”
Britain’s veterans minister, Alistair Carns, whose own military service included five tours including alongside American troops in Afghanistan, called Trump’s claims “utterly ridiculous”.
“We shed blood, sweat and tears together. Not everybody came home,” he said in a video posted on X.
Richard Moore, the former head of Britain’s MI6 intelligence service, said he, like many MI6 officers, had operated in dangerous environments with “brave and highly esteemed” CIA counterparts and had been proud to do so with Britain’s closest ally.
Under NATO’s founding treaty, members are bound by a collective-defense clause, Article 5, which treats an attack on one member as an attack on all.
It has been invoked only once – after the September 11, 2001 attacks on New York and Washington, when allies pledged to support the United States. For most of the war in Afghanistan, the U.S.-led force there was under NATO command.
Some politicians noted that Trump had avoided the draft for the Vietnam War, citing bone spurs in his feet.
“Trump avoided military service 5 times,” Ed Davey, leader of Britain’s centrist Liberal Democrats, wrote on X. “How dare he question their sacrifice.”
Poland’s sacrifice “will never be forgotten and must not be diminished”, Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said.
Trump’s comments were “ignorant”, said Rasmus Jarlov, an opposition Conservative Party member of Denmark’s parliament.
In addition to the British deaths, more than 150 Canadians were killed in Afghanistan, along with 90 French service personnel and scores from Germany, Italy and other countries. Denmark – now under heavy pressure from Trump to transfer its semi-autonomous region of Greenland to the U.S. – lost 44 troops, one of NATO’s highest per-capita death rates.
The United States lost about 2,460 troops in Afghanistan, according to the U.S. Department of Defense, a figure on par per capita with those of Britain and Denmark. (JapanToday)
Key European allies pledged to send a “reassurance force” to Ukraine in a move described as a significant step in the effort to end Russia’s nearly four-year invasion.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, French President Emmanuel Macron, and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer signed a declaration of intent on Tuesday for the deployment of multinational forces to support Kyiv’s defence and reconstruction – if a ceasefire with Russia is agreed on.
The announcement follows a meeting of more than two dozen countries in Paris. The nations dubbed the “coalition of the willing” have explored for months how to deter any future Russian aggression should it agree to stop fighting Ukraine.
There was no immediate response from Russia, however. President Vladimir Putin has ruled out any deployment of troops from NATO countries on Ukrainian soil.
Kyiv has long said it cannot be safe without guarantees that are comparable to the NATO alliance’s mutual defence agreement Article 5 to deter Russia from attacking again.
Zelenskyy welcomed the promised security guarantees for Ukraine.
“It’s important that today the coalition has substantive documents. These are not just words. There is concrete content: a joint declaration by all the coalition countries and a trilateral declaration by France, Britain, and Ukraine,” he said.
“It has been defined how those forces will be managed and at what levels command will be exercised,” Zelensky added.
Macron said “several thousand” French soldiers could be deployed to Ukraine to maintain peace.
“These are not forces that will be engaged in combat,” Macron told France 2 television on the sidelines of the summit, calling such a deployment “a force of reassurance”.
Starmer said allies will participate in US-led monitoring and verification of any ceasefire, support the long-term provision of armaments for Ukraine’s defence.
The UK and France will “establish military hubs across Ukraine and build protected facilities for weapons and military equipment to support Ukraine’s defensive needs” – in the event of a peace deal with Russia, he added.
Starmer said peace in Ukraine is closer than ever though the “hardest yards” still lay ahead.
US envoy Steve Witkoff said there was significant progress made on several critical issues facing Ukraine including security guarantees and a “prosperity plan”. Security protocols for Ukraine are “largely finished”, he added.
“We agree with the coalition that durable security guarantees and robust prosperity commitments are essential to a lasting peace in the Ukraine, and we will continue to work together on this effort,” Witkoff said in a post on X after talks in Paris.
Ukraine’s reconstruction is inextricably linked to security guarantees, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said.
“Economic strength will be indispensable to guarantee that Ukraine will continue to credibly block Russia in the future,” Merz said.
However, he noted Ukraine and its European allies will have to accept “compromises” to achieve a peace deal.
“We will certainly have to make compromises” to end the nearly four-year-old war. “We will not achieve textbook diplomatic solutions,” said Merz.
Moscow has revealed few details of its stance in the US-led peace negotiations. Officials have reaffirmed Russia’s demands and insisted there can be no ceasefire until a comprehensive settlement is agreed. (AlJazeera)
UK football chiefs on Friday unveiled details of their unopposed joint bid to host the Women’s World Cup in 2035, with 22 proposed stadiums listed in the official submission.
The bid team said the 48-nation finals would be the biggest single-sport event ever staged in the UK.
It would be the first World Cup played on British soil since the men’s finals in 1966, which were solely hosted by England.
“With 63 million people living within two hours of a proposed venue, it would be the most accessible tournament ever,” the bid team said in a statement.
Sixteen of the stadiums on the shortlist are in England, including Manchester United’s proposed new 100,000-seater arena, with three in Wales, two in Scotland, and one in Northern Ireland, across 15 cities.
The final number of stadiums is expected to be whittled down to around 16.
A measure of the size of the event is that at the Qatar men’s World Cup in 2022, just eight stadiums were used.
FIFA confirmed later on Friday that the UK bid would be formally ratified at next year’s congress in Vancouver.
The April gathering of football’s global governing body is also set to approve the joint candidature of the United States, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Jamaica to stage the 2031 women’s World Cup.
“Hosting the FIFA Women’s World Cup would be a huge privilege for our four home nations,” the chief executives of the UK football associations said on Friday.
“If we are successful, the 2035 tournament will be the biggest single-sport event held on UK soil with 4.5 million tickets available for fans.
“We are proud of the growth that we’ve driven in recent years across the women’s and girls’ game, but there is still so much more growth to come, and this event will play a key role in helping us deliver that.”
Manchester United’s existing Old Trafford stadium has been included, but the bid team intend to put the club’s proposed new ground forward for consideration by FIFA once plans are confirmed.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that the bid showed the UK’s passion for football.
“The (England) Lionesses’ success has inspired girls across our country, and we’ll build on that momentum by welcoming millions of football fans from around the world to a tournament that will benefit communities and businesses in host cities up and down the UK,” he said.
England’s women’s team have won the past two European Championships and reached the final of the 2023 World Cup.
From 2031, the Women’s World Cup will be contested between 48 teams, up from 32.The next Women’s World Cup will take place in Brazil in 2027. (Guardian)
A 32-year-old British man was the sole suspect accused of a mass stabbing on a train in England, after another man arrested in the case was released on Sunday with no charges.
British police said the knife attack that put 11 people in hospital was not a terrorist incident. A 35-year-old man who had been arrested earlier was released after officers concluded he was not involved in the attack.
By late on Sunday, five of the injured had been discharged from hospital. Among those still being treated was a member of the train crew who tried to stop the attacker and was in a life-threatening condition, police said.
“Detectives have reviewed the CCTV from the train and it is clear his actions were nothing short of heroic and undoubtedly saved many people’s lives,” police said.
Counterterrorism police had helped with the initial investigation after the mass stabbing of passengers on a train in eastern England on Saturday, but police later said there was nothing to suggest that the incident was terrorism.
Work was now ongoing to establish the events leading up to the attack and the suspect’s background, police said. A knife had also been recovered from the scene.
“Our investigation is moving at pace and we are confident we are not looking for anyone else in connection to the incident,” Deputy Chief Constable Stuart Cundy said in a statement.
Police described the sole suspect as a Black British national from Peterborough, 160 km north of London, who had boarded the train there.
The suspect was arrested by armed police after the train made an emergency stop at Huntingdon around 80 miles north of London.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer called it an “appalling incident” which was “deeply concerning”, while King Charles said he was “truly appalled and shocked”.
Knife crime in England and Wales has risen 87% over the past decade, with 54,587 offences last year alone, a 2% rise from 2023 and among the highest rates in Europe, according to figures from Britain’s interior ministry.
Interior Minister Shabana Mahmood said she was “deeply saddened”, while urging people to avoid speculation about the incident.
The government is keen to stop rumors spreading on social media following an incident in Southport in northwest England in 2024, when internet claims over the murder of three young girls sparked days of rioting across the country.
Witness Olly Foster told the BBC that he was on the train which was heading towards London on Saturday evening when someone ran past him saying a man was stabbing “everyone, everything”.
“I put my hand on this chair…and then I look at my hand, and it’s covered in blood. And then I look at the chair, and there’s blood all over the chair. And then I look ahead and there’s blood on all the chairs,” he said.
Another witness told Sky News that a suspect was seen waving a large knife before being tasered by police. (JapanToday)
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