Fact Check: Tinubu Did Meet U.S. President Biden Within His First Year in Office

A viral claim on X (formerly Twitter) alleges that every Nigerian president met a U.S. president within their first year in office, except President Bola Tinubu. This claim is false. Verified records from both Nigerian and U.S. government sources confirm that Tinubu met U.S. President Joe Biden during his first year in office.

The Claim:
The post, made by X user @ADCVanguard on November 2, 2025, and viewed over 90,000 times, claimed Tinubu was the only Nigerian leader since 1999 who had not met a U.S. president in his first year.

The Facts:
Official statements and media reports show that Tinubu met President Biden on September 10, 2023, just over three months after taking office, during the G20 Summit in New Delhi, India.
According to the U.S. Embassy and Nigeria’s State House, both leaders discussed economic cooperation, democracy, and regional stability. A photograph released by the Nigerian presidency confirmed the meeting.

In addition, on October 30, 2024, the White House confirmed that President Biden held a phone conversation with Tinubu, focusing on humanitarian cooperation and global economic reforms.

Historical Context:
Every Nigerian president since 1999 — Olusegun Obasanjo, Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, Goodluck Jonathan, Muhammadu Buhari, and now Bola Tinubu — met a sitting U.S. president within their first 12 months in office.

Verdict:
The viral claim is inaccurate. President Bola Tinubu met President Joe Biden within his first year in office, contrary to social media allegations. The post suggesting diplomatic isolation is misleading and unsupported by official records, given ongoing U.S.–Nigeria engagements, including the 2024 Binational Commission meeting and Secretary Antony Blinken’s visit to Abuja.