President Bola Tinubu has awarded the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON), Nigeria's second-highest national honour, to Gilbert Chagoury, a prominent Lebanese-Nigerian businessman and co-founder of the Chagoury Group.
In an Instrument of Conferment dated January 8, 2026, the president cited Chagoury’s "outstanding virtues and services to our country" as the basis for the recognition.
Born in Nigeria to Lebanese parents, Chagoury established the diversified Chagoury Group in Lagos in 1971, with interests spanning construction, real estate, hospitality, and manufacturing. The group is a key investor in the ambitious Eko Atlantic city project and its subsidiary, Hitech Construction Company Ltd., is currently executing the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway project.
Chagoury’s business history includes close ties to the late military ruler General Sani Abacha. In 2000, a Swiss court convicted him for laundering a portion of Abacha’s looted funds. Chagoury paid a fine and returned $66 million to the Nigerian government, while denying prior knowledge that the money was stolen.
Posts
0 Comments