The visit is expected to focus on strengthening diplomatic and economic ties between both countries, including cooperation in trade, investment, security and migration.
Foreign
ECOWAS Suspends Guinea-Bissau After Coup, Orders Immediate Release Of President
West African leaders have placed a suspension on Guinea-Bissau following the military takeover of November 26, saying the action has pushed the country into deeper political uncertainty.
The regional bloc stressed that democratic order must return immediately and demanded the release of President Umaro Sissoco Embaló, who was seized during the crisis.
This decision came after an emergency virtual meeting of the ECOWAS Mediation and Security Council held on Thursday night.
The session, chaired by Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio, brought together heads of state, foreign ministers, and top representatives from several member countries including Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Senegal, Cabo Verde, and Côte d’Ivoire. Senior officials from Benin, The Gambia, and Togo were also part of the deliberations.
Officials from the ECOWAS Commission, the African Union, the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel, and Guinea-Bissau’s foreign minister joined the meeting as observers.
The atmosphere was tense, as the council reviewed a detailed report submitted by ECOWAS Commission President Omar Touray on the escalating situation.
In the briefing, leaders raised alarm over the disruption of the electoral process in the country.
They commended ordinary citizens for their “resilience and commitment to democracy” despite the tension surrounding the November 23 polls. The council noted that the takeover has undermined confidence in the democratic transition.
ECOWAS, in its formal resolution, said it “condemns in the strongest terms the coup d’état perpetrated on 26 November 2025 and calls for the unconditional restoration of constitutional order without delay.”
The bloc added that it “rejects any arrangements that perpetuate the illegal abortion of the democratic process and the subversion of the will of the people of Guinea-Bissau.”
The regional body insisted that the electoral commission must be allowed to continue its work and release results from the suspended vote. It demanded that the “will of the people” be respected and urged coup leaders to stop interfering with the electoral process.
The communiqué further called for the “immediate and unconditional release of all detained officials, in particular President Umaro Sissoco Embalo, as well as the electoral officials and all other political figures.”
ECOWAS warned that the masterminds of the coup would be held “both individually and collectively responsible for the protection of life and property of all citizens and residents of Guinea-Bissau and for the security and safety of all detainees.”
The council instructed the military to guarantee safe access for ECOWAS observers and international partners still monitoring the election.
It stated that “the MSC decides, in accordance with the provisions of the ECOWAS Protocol on Democracy and Good Governance 2001 (A/SP/12/01), to suspend Guinea-Bissau from all ECOWAS decision-making bodies until the restoration of full and effective constitutional order in the country.”
To address the crisis, a high-level delegation led by the ECOWAS chair and supported by the presidents of Togo, Cabo Verde, and Senegal will travel to Bissau for direct engagement with the coup leaders. Their mandate is to push for the swift reinstatement of democratic governance.
The bloc urged the military high command to step back from politics, return to the barracks, and uphold their constitutional responsibilities. ECOWAS also directed its Stabilisation Support Mission in Guinea-Bissau to continue safeguarding state institutions in the meantime.
In a sign of escalating pressure, the organisation warned that it “reserves the right to use all options” allowed under its protocols, including sanctions, if the junta continues to defy the regional position.
The African Union and the European Union also issued strong reactions, condemning the coup and demanding the release of President Embaló.
Senegal confirmed on Thursday that the detained president had been flown into the country “safe and sound.”
Political tensions had been rising even before the coup, as the electoral race between President Embaló and opposition candidate Fernando Dias da Costa grew fiercely competitive.
Dias da Costa later told reporters that he believed he won the vote and accused Embaló of manipulating the process—an allegation the president firmly denied.
Following the takeover, the military named General Horta N’Tam, the army chief of staff, as the head of a one-year transition. After taking his oath, he told the nation, “I have just been sworn in to lead the High Command.”
Guinea-Bissau has a long history of political instability, and this latest development has once again placed the fragile nation at the centre of regional diplomatic attention.
King Charles III ceremonially welcomed Nigerian President Bola Tinubu at Windsor Castle on Wednesday in the first state visit by the leader of Africa’s most populous nation in nearly four decades.
Tinubu has made less formal visits to Britain several times in his tenure, and the two countries remain major partners in trade, aid and defence. London is also home to a massive Nigerian diaspora.
King Charles and Queen Camilla greeted the president and his wife in Windsor, west of London, on a sunny afternoon as artillery fired Salutes
The Nigerian president and his wife earlier chatted with heir-to-the-throne Prince William and his wife Catherine at a hotel in Windsor.
The party then rode in carriages to the historic Windsor Castle, followed by cavalry in red and gold livery.
These include a Yoruba beaded throne presented to Queen Elizabeth II during an official visit in 1965.
They were also to view photographs of a Yoruba woman known as Sarah Forbes Bonetta, who became a protegee of Queen Victoria after being captured as a slave and taken to Britain by a naval captain.
In the evening, Charles and Tinubu were set to give speeches at a lavish state banquet.
‘Renewed chapter’
Nigeria’s presidency said the visit signalled a “renewed chapter” and reflected a shared commitment to “advancing trade and strengthening diplomatic ties”.
Calling the visit “historic”, London announced Nigerian companies, including banks, are expanding operations and creating hundreds of jobs in Britain, strengthening it as a global hub for African business.
Likely on the agenda are issues ranging from major Nigerian port renovations backed by Britain as well as trade, which reached £8.1 billion ($11 billion) in the year to September 2025, an 11.4 per cent year-on-year increase.
On Thursday, Tinubu is expected to meet British Prime Minister Keir Starmer as well as members of the Nigerian community abroad, according to the official schedule.
First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, a Christian pastor, is set to preach at London’s Lambeth Palace — the seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury — on Thursday and meet representatives of the Church of England.
The last Nigerian state visit to the UK took place in 1989, although Tinubu was received by Charles in September 2024.
Before the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, in 2022, Charles also visited Nigeria four times as Prince of Wales.
The Federal Government has alleged that an embattled mining company, Jupiter Ltd, is planning what it described as a “campaign of calumny” against Nigeria during the planned state visit of President Bola Tinubu to the United Kingdom.
The Ministry of Solid Minerals Development said the alleged move was aimed at discrediting ongoing reforms in the mining sector and misleading the international community about the circumstances surrounding the revocation of certain mineral licences.
In a statement issued on Sunday by the Special Assistant on Media to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Segun Tomori, the ministry dismissed claims that Nigeria seized a British lithium project under armed guard, describing the allegation as false and misleading.
Tomori said the Federal Government had no legal or contractual relationship with any company known as Jupiter Lithium, stressing that Nigerian mining laws prohibit foreign companies from directly holding mineral titles.
The statement read, “It has come to the attention of the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development that an embattled mining firm, Jupiter Ltd, plans to orchestrate a campaign of calumny against the Federal Government of Nigeria during the state visit of President Bola Tinubu to the United Kingdom.
“Earlier in the week, the Special Adviser to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Kehinde Bamigbetan, authored a response to what we described as a tissue of falsehoods sponsored by Jupiter Ltd in a publication titled ‘Nigeria Seizes British Lithium Project Under Armed Guard.’
“Our response, titled ‘In Nigeria’s Mining Sector, The Law Is No Respecter of Persons,’ exposed the activities of one Steve Davis and Hamish MacDonald, whose enterprise in the mining sector eventually met the full weight of the law.”
According to the ministry, the controversy stemmed from the revocation of mineral titles belonging to Basin Mining Ltd, a Nigerian company linked to an Australian national, Steve Davis.
The government said the revocation followed the company’s failure to meet statutory financial obligations under Nigeria’s mining regulations.
Tomori stated that Basin Mining Ltd lost its mineral titles after failing to pay statutory annual service fees amounting to N2.494bn for the 2024 and 2025 fiscal years.
The unpaid fees covered mineral titles 45454ML, 45117ML, 45118ML, 40532ML and 40533ML, which were revoked after due notice was served on the company in line with existing regulations.
The ministry also dismissed claims that the titles were reassigned to a Chinese firm, describing the allegation as a fabrication intended to mislead the public and the international community.
It further alleged that Davis had interests in several mining companies operating in Nigeria, including Comet Minerals Ltd, Basin Mining Ltd, Range Mining Ltd, Northern Numero Ltd, Sunrise Minerals Ltd and Iron Ore Mining Ltd.
According to the government, such arrangements are often used by speculators to acquire mineral titles without undertaking actual mining operations.
The ministry said the practice had contributed to the problem of dormant mining licences and illegal mining activities in the country.
It noted that the Federal Government was determined to end such practices as part of ongoing reforms aimed at repositioning the mining sector as a key driver of economic growth.
“The Federal Government of Nigeria cannot and will not be intimidated or blackmailed into abandoning reforms by the antics of any individual or company,” Tomori added.
“Our commitment to transforming the mining sector into a major contributor to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product is unwavering.”
The ministry urged Nigerians and international stakeholders to disregard what it described as attempts by “discredited individuals” to undermine the country’s reform agenda.
Nigeria has intensified efforts in recent years to develop its solid mineral resources, including lithium, gold, iron ore and rare earth elements, as part of a broader strategy to diversify the economy away from crude oil.
PUNCH Online reports that Tinubu is scheduled to embark on a state visit to the United Kingdom from March 18 to 19, 2026, following an invitation from King Charles III, who will host the Nigerian leader at Windsor Castle.
Iran’s missile attack has injured over 140 residents, including Nigerians, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The UAE’s air defence intercepted nine missiles and 33 drones amid escalating tensions in the Middle East. Six fatalities were reported, with casualties among foreign nationals, including Nigerians, Pakistanis, and Bangladeshis.
Dubai, UAE – Amid the US/Israel-Iran war, Nigerians were among more than 140 residents injured after Tehran launched multiple ballistic missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles at the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
As reported on Sunday morning, March 15, by The Punch, the development raised fresh fears for thousands of Nigerians living and working in the Gulf nation.
The UAE Ministry of Defence disclosed on Saturday, March 14, that its air defence systems intercepted several missiles and drones fired from Iran, describing the attack as a major escalation in the ongoing regional tensions.
In a statement posted on its official X (formerly Twitter) handle, the ministry said its air defence units engaged nine ballistic missiles and 33 drones during the latest assault, adding that the attacks left six people dead and 141 others injured, including foreign nationals.
The ministry stated:
“The UAE air defence systems on March 14 engaged nine ballistic missiles and 33 UAVs launched from Iran.”
“Since the onset of this blatant Iranian aggression, UAE air defences have engaged 294 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles, and 1,600 UAVs launched from Iran.”
UAE’s authorities’ post can be viewed below via X:
الدفاعات الجوية الإماراتية تتعامل مع 9 صواريخ باليستية و 33 طائرة مسيرة.
تعاملت الدفاعات الجوية الإماراتية (14 مارس 2026) مع 9 صواريخ باليستية، و 33 طائرة مسيرة قادمة من إيران.
ومنذ بدء الاعتداءات الإيرانية السافرة تعاملت الدفاعات الجوية الإماراتية مع 294 صاروخاً باليستياً، و… pic.twitter.com/UOVjVpjh7b
— وزارة الدفاع |MOD UAE (@modgovae) March 14, 2026
According to the ministry, those killed in the attacks included citizens of the UAE as well as foreign nationals from Pakistan, Nepal and Bangladesh. Although the authorities did not specify the exact locations where the casualties occurred, the ministry said the injured victims were from several countries, including Nigeria.
Meanwhile, when contacted about the situation, Nigerian resident Yinka Sodiq in the UAE expressed hope for safety, saying he is closely monitoring regional tensions amid reports of increased military activity in the Gulf. He also expressed full confidence in the country’s security measures to safeguard both residents and visitors.
He told Legit.ng:
“Alhamdulillah (praise be to God), for now, I am safe. We are also keeping our heads. May Allah continue to protect us all.”
Another resident, Remi Susan, addressed occasional sounds heard in the skies, clarifying that they pose no threat but are part of a defensive system designed to protect the population and secure the UAE’s airspace, a reflection, she said, of the country’s advanced defence capabilities and preparedness.
Susan said:
“Yes, there has been a lot of noise in the sky, even from my house. I saw like some missile or drone or whatever. But they have been intercepted. I trust the government.”
Dailyvoice.ng reports that escalating hostilities in the Middle East have sent shockwaves through Nigeria, grounding pilgrimages, disrupting travel plans, rattling the oil market and prompting anxious calls from Nigerians abroad. Besides, some members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), the Iran-inspired Shiite organisation founded in the late 1970s by Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, have been staging protests in solidarity with the Iranians in some parts of the country, such as Kano, Kaduna and Lagos.
The Iranians, under attack from the United States (US) and Israel because of a long-running disagreement over Iran’s nuclear enrichment programme, have been firing retaliatory missiles at Israel and other countries considered US allies in the Gulf region, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, among others.
So far, Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, his family members and more than 700 citizens have died.
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