Why Tinubu Conferred GCON National Honour On Gilbert Chagoury – Presidency

The Presidency has confirmed that President Bola Tinubu has conferred one of Nigeria’s highest national honours to Lebanese-Nigerian businessman Gilbert Chagoury.

The President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, confirmed that Tinubu conferred the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) on Chagoury.

According to him, the honour was given to Chagoury on his 80th birthday in recognition of his contributions to Nigeria’s economy and the hospitality sector, among other areas.

“It is true. He had conferred the title on him,” Onanuga told PUNCH, adding, “He did so on his 80th birthday for his various services to Nigeria, on the economic front, hospitality industry and so on. That’s the reason.”

Chagoury was awarded the title of Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger, an honour usually reserved for top-ranking public officials such as vice presidents, Senate presidents, speakers of the House of Representatives, and chief justices.

Documents show that the award ceremony took place in Abuja on January 8, 2026, the same day Chagoury turned 80.

The reason of conferment, signed by President Tinubu, said the honour was given in recognition of Chagoury’s character and his service to Nigeria.

“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),” the president said.

Gilbert Chagoury, a Nigerian-Lebanese businessman, is a co-founder of the Chagoury Group, a large conglomerate with operations across several sectors, including construction, real estate, manufacturing, insurance, hospitality, telecommunications, and catering.

He was born in Lagos on January 8, 1946, to Lebanese immigrant parents and started the Chagoury Group in 1971 alongside his younger brother, Ronald.

The group is responsible for some of Nigeria’s most high-profile real estate projects, including Banana Island and the Eko Atlantic City development, a large-scale land reclamation project located off Victoria Island in Lagos.

In 2024, one of the group’s subsidiaries, Hitech Construction Company, secured the contract for the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway from the Tinubu administration.

The multi-billion-naira project sparked criticism from opposition figures, who questioned the lack of an open bidding process.

Chagoury also owns Eko Hotels and Suites as well as the Oriental Hotel, both of which are among Lagos’ most notable luxury hotels.

However, his business career has also attracted controversy over the years. He was known to have close ties to the late military ruler, General Sani Abacha, who governed Nigeria between 1993 and 1998.

Following Abacha’s death, Chagoury returned about $300 million to the Nigerian government in exchange for protection from potential money laundering charges.

In 2000, Swiss authorities convicted him over his role in laundering funds linked to Abacha’s regime, after which he agreed to surrender $66 million to Nigeria as part of a settlement.

Chagoury has also faced issues abroad. In 2010, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security apologised to him after he was detained for several hours at Teterboro Airport due to his name appearing on a no-fly list.

Eight years later, the businessman and two others reached a settlement in a U.S. federal probe over an alleged attempt to breach campaign finance laws.

His relationship with President Tinubu dates back to Tinubu’s years as governor of Lagos State between 1999 and 2007.

In 2024, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who contested against Tinubu in the 2023 presidential election, raised concerns about the closeness between the Tinubu and Chagoury families.

Atiku pointed to records reviewed by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, which showed that Tinubu’s son, Seyi, co-owned an offshore company with Ronald Chagoury Jr., the nephew of Gilbert Chagoury.

Chagoury was also part of President Tinubu’s delegation during a state visit to France in December 2024, where he took part in engagements focused on strengthening economic cooperation.

KanyiDaily recalls that President Bola Tinubu recently paid tribute to Nigeria’s fallen soldiers and restated his commitment to supporting the Armed Forces.