President Bola Tinubu has congratulated the United Kingdom’s newly inaugurated prime minister, Andy Burnham, expressing confidence that Nigeria and Britain will strengthen their long-standing strategic relationship under the new administration.
In a message released on Tuesday by the ministry of foreign affairs, Tinubu also praised what he described as the UK’s peaceful and orderly transfer of power, saying it demonstrated the resilience of the country’s democratic institutions and constitutional traditions.
The statement, signed by the ministry’s spokesperson, Kimiebi Ebienfa, said the Nigerian president looked forward to broadening cooperation with Burnham’s government across areas of mutual interest.
Tinubu recalled his discussions with Burnham’s predecessor, Keir Starmer, during an official visit to the United Kingdom in March 2026, describing the engagement as productive and expressing confidence that the new prime minister would build on the progress made during those talks.
“I look forward to exploring vistas of partnership, collaboration and cooperation with the United Kingdom under the new Prime Minister,” Tinubu said.
The president added that he hoped to meet Burnham at the earliest opportunity, both through bilateral engagements and multilateral forums, particularly within the Commonwealth, to advance relations between the two countries.
He said he was committed to “deepening bilateral relations and strengthening the strategic partnership between both countries for the benefit of their peoples”.
The federal government also wished Burnham a successful tenure, reaffirming Nigeria’s readiness to work closely with the new British administration on shared priorities and common international challenges.
