Global investor and Chairman of Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), Adebayo Ogunlesi, has expressed confidence in President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms, describing them as a firm foundation for renewed international investment in Nigeria.
Ogunlesi, who met with the President at his Lagos residence recently, said the discussions centred on deepening private sector participation in critical sectors such as energy, aviation, and ports.
Speaking with journalists after the meeting, he commended the administration’s bold policy direction, citing the removal of fuel subsidies, tax reforms, and the revival of the national refinery, which has commenced the export of aviation fuel, as proof of real progress.
“We had an excellent meeting where we discussed strategies to put Nigeria front and centre for global investment. The President was very encouraging, and we exchanged valuable ideas on driving economic growth,” he said.
While he declined to disclose specific investment figures, Ogunlesi confirmed that GIP is actively investing in Nigeria and assessing new opportunities across multiple sectors.
“Watch this space. Nigeria may not yet be the most exciting investment destination, but that’s what we are working on,” he noted.
He identified energy, gas, aviation, ports, and renewable energy as key focus areas, stressing that Nigeria’s vast gas reserves remain underdeveloped. Drawing from his firm’s experience in liquefied natural gas projects in Texas and Australia, he described Nigeria’s energy sector as “ripe for sustainable partnerships.”
On aviation, Ogunlesi—famously known as “the man who bought Gatwick Airport”—signalled interest in developing local aviation infrastructure. He also revealed that one of his companies operates ports in Cotonou and Lomé, but none yet in Nigeria, a fact the President humorously challenged him on.
“He forgave me but said, ‘You must bring port investment to Nigeria,’” Ogunlesi recounted with a smile.
Also present at the meeting, international investor Hakeem Bello-Osagie underscored the importance of diaspora involvement in Nigeria’s economic transformation.
“When Nigerians at home and abroad invest in the country, it sends a powerful message to the global community,” he said, commending Tinubu’s policies for making Nigeria increasingly attractive to investors.
Reiterating this optimism, Zacch Adedeji, Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), said the administration’s fiscal and structural reforms are laying the groundwork for an export-led economy.
“We have done the fundamentals, and now it is time to deliver growth,” Adedeji affirmed.
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