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The Chairman of Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), Adebayo Ogunlesi, has expressed strong confidence in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s ongoing economic reforms, describing them as a solid foundation for renewed international investment and sustainable growth in Nigeria.
Ogunlesi, who is one of the world’s most influential Nigerian investors, made the remarks after a private meeting with President Tinubu at his residence in Lagos. The meeting, held over the weekend, focused on ways to deepen private sector participation in key industries such as energy, aviation, ports, and renewable energy.
Speaking with journalists after the meeting, Ogunlesi commended the direction of the current administration’s economic policies, highlighting the removal of fuel subsidies, ongoing tax reforms, and efforts to revive the national refinery, which recently began exporting aviation fuel. According to him, these steps demonstrate “genuine policy progress and a renewed commitment to rebuilding investor confidence.”
“We had an excellent meeting where we discussed strategies to put Nigeria front and centre for global investment,” Ogunlesi said. “The President was very encouraging, and we exchanged valuable ideas on driving economic growth and unlocking the country’s potential.”
While he declined to reveal specific investment figures, Ogunlesi confirmed that his company, Global Infrastructure Partners, is already investing in Nigeria and exploring new opportunities in multiple sectors. “Watch this space,” he said with optimism. “Nigeria may not yet be the most exciting investment destination, but that’s what we are working on.”
He identified energy, gas, aviation, and ports as priority areas, adding that Nigeria’s huge gas reserves remain underdeveloped and could serve as a key driver for economic expansion. “Nigeria’s energy sector is ripe for sustainable partnerships,” Ogunlesi stated, drawing from his firm’s experience in major Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) projects in Texas and Australia.
Ogunlesi also disclosed his interest in supporting the development of Nigeria’s local aviation infrastructure. He humorously mentioned that while one of his companies operates ports in Cotonou and Lomé, it has yet to establish one in Nigeria — a situation President Tinubu lightly teased him about during their conversation.
“He forgave me but said, ‘You must bring port investment to Nigeria,’” Ogunlesi recounted with a smile, suggesting that discussions about potential future investments in Nigeria’s maritime infrastructure may soon materialize.
Also present at the meeting was renowned international investor Hakeem Bello-Osagie, who stressed the importance of diaspora involvement in Nigeria’s economic revival. Bello-Osagie said that Nigerians in the diaspora must see the current economic reforms as an opportunity to reinvest in their homeland. “When Nigerians at home and abroad invest in the country, it sends a powerful message to the global community,” he said.
Similarly, the Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Zacch Adedeji, who also attended the meeting, highlighted that the Tinubu administration’s fiscal and structural reforms are beginning to lay the groundwork for an export-led economy. “We have done the fundamentals, and now it is time to deliver growth,” Adedeji added.
Observers say Ogunlesi’s renewed interest in Nigeria could signal a shift in global investor perception about the country’s economic direction. With his strong international business network and track record in infrastructure investment, his endorsement may encourage other investors to take a second look at Nigeria’s market potential.
Ogunlesi, who has decades of experience in global finance and infrastructure, is widely known for his leadership role at Global Infrastructure Partners — a leading investment firm that manages billions of dollars in energy, transport, and utility assets across several continents. His confidence in Tinubu’s reforms, analysts believe, reinforces Nigeria’s credibility as a reform-driven economy seeking long-term private sector partnerships.
President Tinubu’s administration has been pushing major reforms in the oil and gas, fiscal, and financial sectors, all aimed at stabilising the economy and attracting foreign investment. The government’s removal of the fuel subsidy, unification of exchange rates, and restructuring of tax policies are part of its broader economic recovery agenda.
With growing engagement from local and international investors, many experts say Nigeria may soon experience an increase in infrastructure financing, renewable energy partnerships, and industrial expansion if the reforms are sustained.
