Ogunlesi backs Tinubu’s reforms as FIRS chairman highlights export-led growth path

Nigerian-born global investor Adebayo Ogunlesi has expressed strong confidence in President Bola Tinubu’s economic reforms, describing them as a solid foundation for renewed international investment in the country.

Ogunlesi, Chairman of Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP), made the remarks after a high-level meeting with the President at his Lagos residence on September 29, 2025, where discussions centred on deepening private sector participation in key industries including energy, aviation, and ports.

Speaking with journalists after the meeting, Ogunlesi commended the administration’s economic direction, citing the removal of fuel subsidies, ongoing tax reforms, and the revival of the national refinery, which has commenced export of aviation fuel, as signs of genuine policy 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 declining to disclose specific investment figures, Ogunlesi confirmed that his firm is actively investing in Nigeria and evaluating 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.

On areas of focus, Ogunlesi highlighted energy, gas, aviation, ports, and renewable energy, stressing that Nigeria’s vast gas reserves remain significantly underdeveloped. Drawing on his firm’s experience in LNG projects in Texas and Australia, he described Nigeria’s energy sector as “ripe for sustainable partnerships.”

Regarding aviation, Ogunlesi—famously known as “the man who bought Gatwick Airport”—signalled interest in developing local aviation infrastructure. He also admitted that one of his companies operates ports in Cotonou and Lomé, but none in Nigeria, a point the President humorously challenged him on.

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“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 emphasized 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.

Echoing similar sentiments, Zacch Adedeji, Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), noted that 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 said.

With global investors showing renewed interest and confidence, Nigeria’s economic repositioning under the Tinubu administration appears to be gathering momentum, setting the stage for transformative investments across strategic sectors of the economy.