President Bola Tinubu is expected to arrive in Nigeria on Saturday night from Istanbul, Turkey, following several days outside the country that were marked by limited public updates from official sources.
According to information obtained by SaharaReporters, the President is scheduled to land in Abuja at about 8:30 p.m.
Earlier in the week, the State House announced that Tinubu had arrived in Ankara, the capital of the Republic of Türkiye, for a state visit. A statement published on Monday said the presidential aircraft touched down at 9:03 p.m. local time and that he was received at Ankara Esenboğa Airport by a Turkish delegation led by the Minister of National Education, Yusuf Tekin.
Also present at the airport were Nigeria’s Chargé d’Affaires in Türkiye, Ambassador Zayyad Abdulsalam, and other officials of the Nigerian Embassy.
Another statement signed by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said Tinubu was later received at his hotel by senior Nigerian officials, including the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN); the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; the Minister of Solid Minerals, Dele Alake; and the Minister of Defence, General Christopher Musa (rtd).
The presidency said the visit was aimed at strengthening diplomatic relations between Nigeria and Türkiye, as well as exploring new areas of cooperation for mutual benefit. It also noted that President Tinubu was scheduled to hold talks with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
However, the visit drew public attention on January 27 after President Tinubu stumbled and fell during a ceremonial reception in Turkey. A video circulated online showed the President briefly losing his footing while exchanging pleasantries with officials during the parade organised in his honour. He was assisted back to his feet and continued with the event.
The Presidency later assured Nigerians that the President was in good health. In a post on his X (formerly Twitter) account, the Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, said Tinubu remained fit and continued his official engagements as scheduled.
“President Tinubu in great shape as state visit proceeds smoothly,” Dare wrote, adding that the President went on to attend bilateral meetings with his Turkish counterpart and other senior officials.
In recent weeks, President Tinubu’s health has remained a subject of public debate, fueling increased scrutiny of his official travels and public appearances.
