President Bola Tinubu has described Gilbert Chagoury, the Lebanese-Nigerian businessman, as his “partner in daring”.
The president praised the businessman on Saturday during the inauguration of the phase one, section one of the Lagos-Calabar coastal highway.
The project was done by Hitech Construction, a company founded by the Chagoury Group.
Tinubu commended the collaborative spirit that led to the successful completion of phase one of the coastal highway project, reflecting on the arduous journey he undertook with Chagoury to “tame the Atlantic”, while he was Lagos governor.
“To the contractors and my partner in daring, Engr. Roland Chagoury, it was tough for us. We came together to tame the Atlantic, something my leaders in Lagos thought was impossible for us to do,” Tinubu said.
“So many other leaders wanted us to abandon it and the federal government rejected the idea that they would take responsibility then.
“I said we will do it and we will succeed with it. Today, a disaster greater than tsunami that would have consumed Victoria Island and Ikoyi is now a statement of fortune. Thank you Roland. I appreciate you.”
Chagoury was born in Nigeria to Lebanese immigrants. With his brother, Gilbert, he co-founded the Chagoury Group in Lagos in 1971. The conglomerate owns construction, real estate, hotel, glass and flour milling businesses.
He is also a major funder of the Eko Atlantic project through South Energyx Nigeria Limited, a subsidiary of the Chagoury Group.
