Adebayo Ogunlesi, a prominent Nigerian billionaire, has taken a significant step towards enhancing Nigeria’s port infrastructure by announcing his plans for investment in this sector.
Ogunlesi, who acquired three UK airports, disclosed his plans after he met with President Bola Tinubu
He also highlighted his company’s existing investments in the ports of Togo and Benin, showcasing his dedication to regional development and collaboration.
Nigerian-born billionaire and global investor Adebayo “Bayo” Ogunlesi has announced plans to channel major investments into Nigeria’s port infrastructure, a move that could reshape the nation’s maritime and logistics sector.
After acquiring three major UK airports, Nigerian billionaire Adebayo Ogunlesi is now turning his focus homeward — investing in Nigeria’s port infrastructure.
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Gatwick,
London City Airport
Edinburgh Airport
Ogunlesi said that the brief exchange marked a renewed commitment to channel world-class infrastructure investment back to Nigeria.
The founder and chairman of Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) told President Tinubu that while his firm had successfully developed ports in Togo and Benin, none existed yet in Nigeria.
“I confessed to Mr. President that one of our companies has a port in Cotonou and one in Lomé, but none in Nigeria. I asked for his forgiveness, and being the gentleman that he is, he forgave me — but said, ‘You must bring port investment to Nigeria.’”
That brief exchange, Ogunlesi said, marked the beginning of a new commitment to bring world-class infrastructure investment home.
Tinubu’s reform signals investor confidence
He highlighted several reforms — including the removal of fuel subsidies, tax restructuring, and unification of ownership systems — as key signals of progress. The commissioning of new refineries, he added, further strengthens Nigeria’s industrial base.
“Nigeria is now an exciting place to invest,” Ogunlesi said. “These reforms have created the foundations for economic transformation, and international investors are taking notice.”
According to him, discussions with the President centred on positioning Nigeria as a leading hub for international capital and trade.
The billionaire’s vision doesn’t stop at ports. Ogunlesi revealed that GIP is also exploring opportunities in energy and aviation, two sectors he believes hold massive untapped potential in Africa’s largest economy.
“We are building LNG plants in Texas and Australia. Nigeria is a huge gas province, and that’s an area we are very interested in,” he said. “People describe me as the guy who bought Gatwick Airport — well, aviation is another sector of focus for us.”
If successful, these ventures could position GIP as one of the most influential infrastructure investors in Nigeria’s future growth story.
Ogunlesi ended his remarks on a note of optimism, expressing strong faith in Nigeria’s economic direction and the leadership steering it.
“The President has carried out fundamental reforms. The next stage is building an export-led economy. Nigeria’s hope is rising, and we will play our part in delivering on that promise.”
With Ogunlesi’s renewed commitment and Nigeria’s ongoing reforms, the world may soon see a homecoming of capital, innovation, and confidence, a new era for Nigeria’s ports and beyond.
Ogunlesi, who operated three UK airports, including Gatwick, London City Airport, and Edinburgh Airport, emerged as one of Africa’s billionaires after selling his asset management firm, GIP, for $12.5 billion.
The deal instantly put Ogunlesi among Nigeria’s and Africa’s wealthiest people.
He was recently appointed to the board of OpenAI, the owners of ChatGPT.
