FEC Approves N1.7 Trillion Sokoto-Badagry Highway, Hands Contract to Convicted Money Launderer Gilbert Chagoury

West Africa WeeklyJuly 1, 20261 Mins read19

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved N1.7 trillion for the construction of the Sokoto-Badagry Super Highway, a flagship infrastructure project under President Bola Tinubu’s administration. The approval has ignited controversy following revelations that the company awarded the contract is owned by Gilbert Chagoury, a businessman convicted of money laundering tied to the late General Sani Abacha’s stolen funds.

The highway is a 1,000-kilometre corridor designed to connect Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Oyo, Ogun and Lagos states. The project is central to the administration’s Renewed Hope infrastructure agenda. The FEC also approved a $1.2 billion financing facility for Section Two of the highway in Kebbi State.

The contractor, Hitech Construction Company Ltd, is a subsidiary of the Chagoury Group. In 2000, a Swiss court convicted Chagoury of laundering funds looted from Nigeria during the Abacha era. He was ordered to pay a fine of about one million Swiss francs and returned approximately $66 million to the Nigerian government. Chagoury has denied knowing the funds were stolen.

The controversy surrounding Chagoury is not new. In January 2026, President Tinubu conferred on him the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON), Nigeria’s second-highest national honour. The decision drew sharp criticism from activists and opposition figures. Timi Frank, former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, described the honour as a “dark moment for Nigeria” that “sends a dangerous signal that corruption and conflicts of interest are being normalized at the highest levels of power”.

The award of the highway contract to Chagoury’s company has raised fresh concerns about transparency and governance in Nigeria’s infrastructure sector. Critics argue that awarding a project of this magnitude to a convicted money launderer undermines public trust and the country’s anti-corruption posture. The development has also fuelled accusations that the Tinubu administration is prioritizing personal interests over the welfare of Nigerians.

As the Sokoto-Badagry highway project moves forward, many Nigerians are questioning the government’s commitment to accountability and the rule of law.