President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has conferred Nigeria’s second-highest national honour, the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON), on businessman Gilbert Chagoury, a long-time associate.
In an official Instrument of Conferment dated 8 January 2026, President Tinubu said the honour was in recognition of Chagoury’s “outstanding virtues and … services to our country, Nigeria.”
The document states: “In exercise of the powers vested in me under section 1(4) of the National Honours Act, I, BOLA AHMED TINUBU, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, in recognition of your outstanding virtues and in appreciation of your services to our country, Nigeria, HEREBY award to you to have, and enjoy title, dignity and all the privileges of Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) GIVEN at Abuja under my Hand and the Public Seal of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
Chagoury, a Lebanese-Nigerian born in Lagos to Lebanese immigrant parents, co-founded the Chagoury Group in 1971 with his brother Ronald. The conglomerate has diversified interests spanning construction, real estate, hotel development, glass and flour milling, telecommunications, and other sectors.
Supporters of the award have highlighted Chagoury’s decades-long contributions to private sector growth and infrastructure development in Nigeria, including major urban projects and employment creation.
Prominent businessman Femi Otedola described the honour as “well-deserved”, praising Chagoury’s “vision, discipline, and steady excellence” in national development.
However, the conferment comes amid controversy.
In 2024, the federal government awarded the multi-billion-dollar Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project to Hitech Construction Company Ltd — a subsidiary of the Chagoury Group — without a widely publicised competitive bidding process, prompting criticism from opposition figures and sections of civil society.
Critics argued that the manner of award raised concerns about transparency and the influence of personal relationships in public contract allocations.
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar criticised the award of the highway contract, alleging that the project was awarded without competitive bidding and that personal business interests were prioritised over national interests.
There are also speculations that Seyi Tinubu, the President’s son, serves on the board of a Chagoury Group subsidiary, and that the two families are joint shareholders in a British Virgin Islands company.
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