President Tinubu Returns to Nigeria After Attending Pope Leo XIV’s Inauguration in Rome

President Bola Tinubu has arrived back in Nigeria after his trip to Rome, where he attended the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV.

He landed at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on Tuesday evening and was greeted by a delegation of high-ranking government officials, including the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike; the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume; and the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje. 

Tinubu had arrived in Italy on Saturday and was present at the Vatican on Sunday for the installation of Pope Leo XIV as the 267th head of the Roman Catholic Church. A video shared on the president’s official X account showed him shaking hands with the new pontiff and engaging in a brief conversation during the reception after the inaugural mass at St. Peter’s Square. 

The president joined other global leaders, including U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in congratulating the newly elected pope.

Formerly Cardinal Robert Prevost, Pope Leo XIV—elected on May 8—used his inaugural address to advocate for worldwide unity, urging an end to environmental exploitation and the marginalization of the poor. 

During his stay in Rome, Tinubu emphasized the importance of leveraging Nigeria’s diversity as a unifying force to drive national progress. He also met with Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate Peter Obi and former Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi at the papal inauguration ceremony.