President Bola Tinubu’s ongoing state visit to the United Kingdom has not included a meeting with Kemi Badenoch, despite longstanding diplomatic traditions.
Tinubu, who arrived in the UK for a two-day visit, has already held high-level engagements, including a meeting with King Charles III and Queen Camilla, as well as interactions with interfaith groups. Both leaders also delivered speeches at a state banquet held in his honour.
The Nigerian president is scheduled to meet Keir Starmer at 10 Downing Street, a key highlight of the visit focused on strengthening bilateral ties.
However, unlike the usual practice where visiting heads of state meet both the prime minister and the leader of the opposition, no formal meeting has been arranged between Tinubu and Badenoch, who currently leads the UK Conservative Party. Although she attended the state banquet, she was not officially scheduled for talks with the Nigerian leader.
Badenoch, who is of Nigerian descent, has in recent years distanced herself from the country, openly criticising Nigeria’s governance and security challenges. She has previously stated that she does not identify with her ancestral roots and has spoken against what she described as the consequences of “poor governance” in Nigeria.
Her comments have drawn criticism from Nigerian officials, including Vice-President Kashim Shettima, who accused her of repeatedly speaking negatively about her country of origin.
While Badenoch has previously shared public moments with other global leaders—such as Donald Trump during his UK visit—she has not made any public gesture regarding Tinubu’s visit, despite being present at the banquet.
The absence of a meeting between both figures highlights ongoing tensions and differing perspectives, even as Nigeria and the UK continue to strengthen official diplomatic relations.
