State VisiteventNovember 2006· Chapter 139

Prince Charles Returns to the North

A three-day visit takes the Prince of Wales to Abuja, Kaduna and Kano on the eve of the 2007 transition — the first time a senior British royal has visited northern Nigeria since the 1956 tour.

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Charles's November 2006 visit, hosted by President Olusegun Obasanjo at the end of Obasanjo's second term, deliberately revisited the North. He was received by the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, at the Kano Emirate Palace, by the Sultan of Sokoto's representative in Kaduna, and by then-Vice-President Atiku Abubakar in Abuja. The visit emphasised inter-faith engagement (Charles held a closed meeting with Christian and Muslim clerics at the Anglican Cathedral, Kaduna), British Council education projects, and trade promotion in advance of the April 2007 general elections. It was Charles's third visit to Nigeria and the most extensive of his time as Prince of Wales.

Era context

The political and economic reality

The government(s), economy and national reality across the period 2006–2006.

President · Fourth Republic

Chief Olusegun Obasanjo

1999–2007· PDP

National reality

Return to civilian rule, 29 May 1999. Telecoms deregulation (2001) — GSM revolution. Paris Club exit, October 2005 ($30 bn debt relief, Okonjo-Iweala). Pension Reform 2004. EFCC established 2003.

Crises of the period

Third Term agenda defeated 2006
Niger Delta militancy intensifies
ASUU strikes; Sharia introduction in 12 northern states

GDP (World Bank)

$59 bn (1999) → $166 bn (2007)

Cabinet (selected portfolios)

Finance
Adamu Ciroma (1999–2003); Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (2003–06)
Education
Tunde Adeniran; Babalola Borishade; Fabian Osuji; Chinwe Obaji; Oby Ezekwesili
Health
Prof. ABC Nwosu

Sources · Federal Gazette 1999–2007 · CBN · World Bank WDI

Methodology

Tier 1 · primary

Courts. Gazettes. National archives.

Tier 2 · corroborating

OCCRP. HRW. BudgIT. TheCable.

Tier 4 · tertiary, flagged

Wikipedia only where primary is pending. Always labelled.

The political and economic reality

The Republic — Weekly