President Bola Tinubu has returned to Nigeria following a two-day state visit to the United Kingdom.
He arrived in Lagos with the First Lady and is expected to spend the Sallah holiday in the city. The President was welcomed at the airport by top government officials, including Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila, amid a warm reception from supporters.
During his visit, Tinubu held high-level meetings with King Charles III and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, focusing on strengthening diplomatic and economic relations between both countries. He also witnessed the signing of a £746 million financing deal aimed at upgrading key ports in Lagos State.
As part of broader engagements, Nigeria and the UK signed three major Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) covering migration partnership, border security, and efforts to combat organised immigration crime. The agreements also include provisions to expand business visa access for UK companies operating in Nigeria.
Under the new arrangements, Nigeria will recognise UK-issued identification letters for individuals without valid passports, simplifying deportation processes. The deal is expected to ease the return of visa overstayers, failed asylum seekers, and foreign offenders.
Both countries also agreed to strengthen collaboration through joint operations and intelligence sharing to tackle visa fraud and criminal networks. A standardised document verification system will be introduced to improve the integrity of immigration processes.
The agreements were signed by Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, alongside UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and Trade Envoy Florence Eshalomi.
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