President Bola Tinubu has conferred the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) on Lebanese-Nigerian businessman Gilbert Chagoury, citing his long-standing contributions to Nigeria’s economic and infrastructural development.
The national honour was conveyed in a formal letter from the president, in which Tinubu said the award was made in recognition of Chagoury’s “outstanding virtues” and service to the country, in line with the powers vested in him under the National Honours Act.
Reacting to the development, billionaire businessman Femi Otedola described the honour as well deserved, praising Chagoury’s influence in business and national growth. In a message, Otedola said Chagoury’s career exemplifies vision, discipline, and sustained excellence.
He highlighted the businessman’s role in major real estate and infrastructure projects, noting that developments such as Banana Island and Eko Atlantic City have created jobs and significantly reshaped Nigeria’s urban landscape. According to Otedola, Chagoury’s leadership has inspired many Nigerians to pursue ambitious ideas and long-term impact.
Gilbert Chagoury, born in Lagos to Lebanese immigrant parents, co-founded the Chagoury Group in 1971 alongside his younger brother, Ronald Chagoury. Over the decades, the group has grown into a diversified conglomerate with interests in construction, real estate, manufacturing, insurance, hospitality, telecommunications, information technology, catering, and international finance.
The conferment of the GCON comes amid lingering public debate surrounding the 2024 award of the $11 billion Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project to Hitech, a construction firm linked to the Chagoury Group. The project attracted criticism over concerns about transparency and the absence of competitive bidding, given Tinubu’s long-established relationship with Chagoury.
Additional scrutiny followed reports that Seyi Tinubu, the president’s son, sits on the board of one of Chagoury’s companies and is a joint shareholder with Ronald Chagoury Jr. in a British Virgin Islands-registered entity.
Despite the controversies, supporters of the award argue that Chagoury’s decades-long involvement in Nigeria’s private sector and his contributions to infrastructure and job creation justify the national recognition.
