Nigerian-born Swedish citizen and Worldview International founder, Kio Amachree, has questioned the influence of Lebanese-Nigerian businessman Gilbert Chagoury around President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, calling for greater scrutiny of the businessman’s historical dealings and the release of records held by US authorities.
In a new instalment of his “Letters from Stockholm” series published on X, Amachree asked why a businessman with a history of legal and law-enforcement scrutiny in Switzerland and the United States continues to enjoy close access to Nigeria’s presidency and major government projects.
“Why is a man with this record so close to Nigeria’s presidency?” Amachree asked.
Chagoury, a prominent businessman with interests in construction and other sectors, has long been associated with Nigeria’s political and business establishment.
Abacha-era Money-Laundering Conviction
Amachree pointed to Chagoury’s 2000 conviction in Switzerland for money laundering and aiding a criminal organisation in connection with funds linked to the late military ruler, General Sani Abacha .
The Council on Foreign Relations reports that Chagoury was convicted after helping members of the Abacha family establish accounts in Geneva that facilitated the movement of more than $120 million from the Central Bank of Nigeria. Chagoury later refunded $66 million to Nigeria while maintaining that he did not know the money had been stolen .
Contemporary Swiss reporting also records that Chagoury was fined by a Geneva court over his role in transferring Nigerian state funds into Swiss accounts .
Amachree argued that the history should be considered in assessing Chagoury’s present-day proximity to political power in Nigeria.
U.S. Campaign-Finance Investigation and Questions Over Tinubu Relationship
The strongest documented recent legal record cited by Amachree concerns a US federal investigation into illegal campaign contributions.
According to the US Department of Justice, Chagoury, a foreign national prohibited from contributing to US elections, admitted that approximately $180,000 he provided was used to make contributions to four federal political candidates between 2012 and 2016.
The money was channelled through other individuals, allowing contributions to be made in their names. Chagoury entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with US prosecutors, accepted responsibility, agreed to cooperate with the government and paid $1.8 million to resolve the case .
The investigation involved federal authorities including the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigation.
The Justice Department subsequently referenced Chagoury’s admission in its prosecution of former Congressman Jeff Fortenberry, whose campaign had received $30,000 in contributions allegedly originating from Chagoury through other individuals.
Amachree also questioned Chagoury’s relationship with Tinubu and the businessman’s access to major government projects.
One of the most controversial examples is the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, a massive federal infrastructure project awarded to Hitech Construction Company, a Chagoury-owned company .
Bloomberg reported in 2024 that the 700-kilometre project, estimated at about $13 billion at the time, had been awarded to Hitech and sparked controversy over the procurement process and Chagoury’s relationship with Tinubu .
Amachree further argued that the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway was awarded without a competitive bidding process, alleging that the procurement process departed from the provisions of Nigeria’s Public Procurement Act .
Major Contracts Under Scrutiny and National Honour and Offshore Links
According to Amachree, companies within the Chagoury Group have secured some of Nigeria’s biggest infrastructure projects under the current administration, including:
- The Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway
- The refurbishment of Tin Can and Apapa ports
- The Snake Island Port concession
- The ₦1.7 trillion Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway awarded to Hitech Construction
He claimed the cumulative value of contracts awarded to Chagoury-linked firms under the Tinubu administration has reached several trillions of naira within less than three years .
The article also pointed to long-term concessions involving Eko Atlantic City and Snake Island Port, arguing that companies linked to the Chagoury family now exercise significant influence over strategic maritime infrastructure .
Amachree further questioned the administration’s decision to confer one of Nigeria’s highest national honours on Chagoury in January 2026, arguing that the recognition was inconsistent with the businessman’s legal history .
He also highlighted reports linking Oluwaseyi Tinubu, son of Tinubu, to an offshore company alongside Ronald Chagoury Jr., citing documents reportedly published by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) .
Call for Disclosure and Verification Status
Amachree also drew a comparison between Chagoury’s record and questions surrounding Tinubu’s own historical dealings in the United States, including the approximately $460,000 forfeited in a 1990s civil proceeding involving funds allegedly connected to narcotics trafficking.
He nevertheless argued that Nigerians should have access to relevant US records where they can lawfully be disclosed.
Amachree called on the FBI to release Chagoury-related records that can legally be made public, subject to legitimate privacy and national-security exemptions.
He also called for greater transparency over government contracts involving companies linked to Chagoury, including disclosure of tenders, competing bids, beneficial ownership, contract variations, advance payments and any presidential waivers.
“The age of secret friendships, private contracts and government by personal confidantes must end,” Amachree wrote.
He concluded with three demands:
“Open the files. Publish the contracts. Follow the money.”
The claims concerning Chagoury’s past legal matters are supported in part by official US Justice Department records and historical reporting. However, allegations contained in intelligence reports should not be treated as established facts unless independently substantiated.
Chagoury’s US campaign-finance matter, unlike unverified intelligence allegations, resulted in a formal deferred prosecution agreement in which he admitted responsibility and paid a $1.8 million fine .
