At a state reception inside Windsor Castle, King Charles III delivered more than a ceremonial address. His words framed Nigeria as a country no longer defined by its past, but by its growing global weight.
Standing before Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the First Lady, the monarch opened with a mix of cultural familiarity and diplomatic respect.
“A SPEECH BY HIS MAJESTY THE KING
Your Excellency, Mr President, and Distinguished First Lady,
Ekabo. Se Daaa Daa Ni. (Greetings! I hope you are well.)”
He acknowledged the timing of the visit during Ramadan, describing it as a commitment that goes beyond protocol.
“My wife and I are delighted to welcome you to Windsor Castle here on this occasion. We are most grateful to you for travelling during this holy month which, I acknowledge, is no small sacrifice, and so it is my particular pleasure to wish you, Mr President, peace, blessings, and an abundance of joy.
Ramadan Mubarak!”
The King reached back to his 2018 visit to Nigeria, using that moment to draw a contrast between perception and reality.
“During my most recent visit to Nigeria in 2018, when I was fortunate enough to be able to spend some time with your highly respected traditional leaders, the Sultan of Sokoto, the Ooni of Ife, Onitsha, Warri, and The Emir of Kano, it was self-evident that while the warmth of the Nigerian welcome remains constant, the country itself is transforming at a remarkable pace. Nigeria hasn’t merely changed. It has arrived. Yours is now a nation of over two hundred and thirty million people, half of whom are under eighteen, with the energy, ingenuity, ambition and resolve to address the great challenges of our age.”
From there, he turned to the Nigerian presence in Britain, not as a side note but as a central force shaping everyday life.
“We in the United Kingdom are blessed that so many people of Nigerian heritage, having chosen Britain as their home, are now at the heart of British life through excelling at the highest levels of business, technology, academia, law, science, sport, literature and the arts, and public service.”
He described them as people working quietly across key sectors, from classrooms to hospitals.
“I have met so many of these quiet heroes in our schools, businesses, National Health Service and universities, including countless young people who have flourished through the work of my King’s Trust over the last fifty years.”
At St. James’s Palace, a recent gathering became a symbol of shared identity.
“Only last week, I was delighted to host a rather lively group of them for a ‘Jollof and Tea’ Party, at St. James’s Palace. I was firmly assured that the Jollof was only the best: Nigerian, of course… or perhaps Ghanaian or Senegalese. Diplomatically I cannot remember!”
Beyond the humour, the message stayed clear.
Nigeria’s cultural footprint in Britain is visible and expanding.
“But who could have imagined that, when I first visited Nigeria thirty-six years ago today, so many of those I might have met would have gone on to have such an impact in the United Kingdom. From Afrobeats filling our concert halls and Nollywood captivating our screens, to stars competing in our Premier League and adjudicating our highest courts, so much of Britain’s culture is, in truth, profoundly enriched by Nigeria.”
He described this influence as a “living bridge,” built by people moving between both countries and shaping both societies.
“Whether they are Nigerians who have chosen Britain as their adopted place to invest, trade or study, or Britons who cherish their personal connection to Nigeria, they all represent a living bridge of over half a million people who connect our nations, Mr President, and help make our cultures richer, our shared security stronger and our economies more prosperous.”
That bridge, he said, is not just cultural. It is economic. The King pointed to Nigerian banks in London, companies listing on British markets, and growing partnerships in education and technology. He also highlighted the scale of travel and spending between both countries.
“As the connections between our nations deepen every day, so too do the economic ties. Your visit has provided the opportunity to celebrate the fact that Nigeria is investing in Britain’s future as much as Britain is investing in Nigeria’s leading Nigerian banks have chosen the City of London as a global base, examples of the best Nigerian companies have listed on London’s Stock Exchange,and U.K. Export Finance is supporting investment in Nigeria’s ports.
In education, British schools and universities are opening their doors in Nigeria, and British and Nigerian technology companies are forming ever closer partnerships. I was pleased to see that visitors from Nigeria spent £178 million in Britain in 2024, and 251,000 people from Britain travelled to Nigeria and spent just as much, in return. In January of this year, Nigeria became the United Kingdom’s biggest export market in Africa and whilst I hear that in Nigeria the phrase ‘Made in U.K.’ has always symbolised the highest quality, it evidently now has a distinctively Nigerian flavour…”
He admitted that history between both nations carries difficult moments, but made it clear that the future must be shaped differently.
“The many dynamic connections between our two nations have deep roots and yet I do not pretend that those roots are without a shadow. There are chapters in our shared history that I know have left some painful marks. I do not seek to offer words that dissolve the past, for no words can. But I do believe, as I know you believe, Mr President, that history is not merely a record of what was done to us, it is a lesson in how we go forward together to continue building a future rooted in hope and growth for all, and worthy of those who bore the pains of the past.”
Earlier in the day, both leaders met with Christian and Muslim figures, a moment the King used to stress coexistence and shared responsibility.
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“This afternoon, in another part of the Castle, Mr President, you and I witnessed one such example of how we are learning from one another when we met leaders of the British Christian and Muslim communities. The gathering was a deeply meaningful symbol of what Nigeria has long shown: that people of different faiths can, do, and must live alongside one another, in peace, in harmony and in shared purpose.”
He described Nigeria as a country with growing influence across sectors and regions.
“Your nation, Mr President, is an economic powerhouse, a cultural force and an influential diplomatic voice from a continent that is playing an increasingly important role in the world.”
He then turned to the Commonwealth of Nations, pointing to its role in shaping trade and cooperation among member states, while echoing Tinubu’s push for stronger economic alignment.
“As you observed so astutely before the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa in 2024, “if we didn’t have this global alliance… of fifty-six member states, 2.7 billion people and a combined G.D.P. forecast soon to surpass twenty trillion U.S. dollars… there would be a need to create one”.”
The speech closed with a blend of culture, diplomacy and optimism.
“As the Hausa saying goes, “when the music changes, so does the dance”.”
Then, a final line that carried both pride and familiarity.
“And, in doing so, let me propose a toast,
To the President and people of Nigeria
“Naija No Dey Carry Last!” (Nigerians Never Come Last)”