By Maureen Okpe
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Tuesday momentarily stumbled during a ceremonial welcome in Ankara, the capital of the Republic of Türkiye, where he is on a state visit to strengthen diplomatic and economic relations between both countries.
The incident occurred at the presidential complex during an official reception hosted by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
A video from the event showed President Tinubu briefly losing his balance while approaching members of the welcoming delegation and falling to the ground before officials quickly helped him up.
Nigerian and Turkish officials promptly played down the incident, confirming that the President was not injured and remained in stable condition.
Despite the brief disruption, the ceremony continued shortly afterward, with both leaders proceeding with scheduled diplomatic formalities.
In a statement, the Presidency described the incident as minor, assuring Nigerians that the President was in good health.
“Mr President experienced a slight misstep during the reception but was immediately attended to. There were no injuries, and he went on to participate fully in the day’s programme,” the statement said.
A senior Turkish official also confirmed that there was no cause for concern, noting that President Tinubu remained in good spirits and continued discussions with President Erdoğan.
President Tinubu arrived in Ankara on Monday, January 26, 2026, for a state visit aimed at expanding cooperation in areas such as trade, investment, security, education, defence manufacturing and infrastructure.
During the visit, the Nigerian leader is expected to hold high-level talks with President Erdoğan and other senior Turkish officials, with discussions set to culminate in the signing of several memoranda of understanding.
Turkish President Erdoğan welcomed President Tinubu at the reception, describing Nigeria as a key partner in Africa and reaffirming Türkiye’s commitment to deepening bilateral relations.
Nigerian officials said the state visit is proceeding as planned, stressing that President Tinubu remains fully engaged and that the focus should remain on the expected outcomes of the Nigeria–Türkiye engagements.