President Bola Tinubu has conferred the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON) on Lebanese-Nigerian businessman, Gilbert Chagoury, in recognition of his contributions to Nigeria.
The national honour, Nigeria’s second-highest after the GCFR, was conveyed through an Instrument of Conferment dated January 8, 2026.
Tinubu said the award was made under the powers vested in him by the National Honours Act, citing Chagoury’s “outstanding virtues” and service to the country.
Chagoury, born in Nigeria to Lebanese immigrant parents, is a prominent industrialist and co-founder of the Chagoury Group, established in Lagos in 1971. The conglomerate operates in construction, real estate, hospitality, glass manufacturing and flour milling.
He is a major financier of the Eko Atlantic City project through South Energyx Nigeria Limited and is linked to Hitech Construction Company Ltd, which is handling the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway project.
Chagoury rose to national prominence in the 1990s and was known for his close association with the late military ruler, General Sani Abacha, during whose administration his business interests reportedly expanded.
