Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, was acknowledged at the U.S. 74th Annual National Prayer Breakfast held on Capitol Hill, Washington, DC on Thursday by President Donald Trump.
The National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C. is an annual, bipartisan, and interfaith gathering held on the first Thursday in February which brings together U.S. Presidents, members of Congress, and international leaders aimed at fostering unity, reflection, and prayer for national leadership in the spirit of reconciliation.
The U.S. President publicly recognised her presence and paid tribute to her role as both Nigeria’s First Lady and a religious leader.
Addressing the audience, Trump said: “We’re honoured to be joined today by the First Lady of Nigeria, who also happens to serve as a Christian pastor at the largest church in Nigeria. A very respected woman. First Lady, please, where are you? Thank you very much.”
There had been earlier speculations in the media that First Lady Tinubu is scheduled to meet with President Trump during her trip.
She was ordained Pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), one of Nigeria’s largest Pentecostal denominations, in 2018 and her presence at the event comes amid U.S. government stance on killings and persecution of Christians in Nigeria.
In October 2025, Trump redesignated Nigeria as a ‘Country of Particular Concern (CPC)’ in response to allegations of a Christian genocide in the country.
Barely a month later, Trump asked the U.S. Department of War to prepare for “possible action” to wipe out Islamic terrorists in Nigeria. On December 25, 2025, U.S. forces launched airstrikes on terrorists camps in the Northwestern State of Sokoto.
Subsequently, the U.S.-Nigeria Joint Working Group was launched in Abuja in January 2026 following November 2025 high-level talks in Washington DC. It is a strategic partnership designed to enhance security collaboration, counterterrorism, and protection of civilians especially vulnerable Christian communities in Northern Nigeria.
