President Bola Tinubu has conferred the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON), Nigeria’s second-highest national honour, on renowned businessman and industrialist, Gilbert Chagoury.
In a letter dated January 8, 2026, the President said the honour was awarded in recognition of Chagoury’s long-standing contributions to Nigeria’s economic development. Tinubu stated that the award was made in exercise of the powers vested in him under Section 1(4) of the National Honours Act.
“In recognition of your outstanding virtues and in appreciation of your services to our country, Nigeria, I hereby award to you the title, dignity and all the privileges of the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON),” the letter read.
Confirming the award, presidential spokesperson Bayo Onanuga told THISDAY on Monday evening that the honour was conferred to appreciate Chagoury’s immense contributions to national development over several decades.
According to Onanuga, the award also marked Chagoury’s recent 80th birthday. He explained that there was no formal investiture ceremony in either Lagos or Abuja, adding that the national honour was conveyed directly to the recipient.
“It is true that the GCON award was conferred on Chief Chagoury in appreciation of his contributions to Nigeria’s economic growth spanning several decades,” Onanuga said. “There was no formal ceremony, but the award was delivered to him to mark his 80th birthday, which was celebrated recently.”
Onanuga further noted that Chagoury, who was born in Lagos in 1946, is a qualified Nigerian for the award.
Chagoury, a Lebanese-Nigerian, was born to Lebanese immigrant parents in Lagos. In 1971, he co-founded the Chagoury Group with his younger brother, Ronald Chagoury. The conglomerate has wide-ranging interests including construction, real estate, flour milling, glass manufacturing, water bottling, insurance, hospitality, telecommunications, information technology, furniture manufacturing, catering and international financing.
The award comes amid lingering public debate following the 2024 award of the $11 billion Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project to Hi-Tech Construction, a company linked to the Chagoury Group, which drew scrutiny over procurement processes and the long-standing relationship between President Tinubu and the industrialist.
