150 Nigerian workers sacked after protest at firm owned by billionaire with political ties

Key Points

• Workers say the company targeted those who demonstrated over poor pay and harsh working conditions at a Lagos construction site.
• The company is handling key government infrastructure projects, including a $700 million Lagos Port upgrade tied to Tinubu’s modernization agenda.
• Workers demanded a transport allowance increase after subsidy removal and raised concerns over discrimination and lack of holiday benefits.

ITB Nigeria, a subsidiary of the Chagoury Group owned by billionaire Gilbert Chagoury, has dismissed more than 150 workers after they protested what they described as poor pay and exploitative working conditions. Chagoury, a Nigerian-Lebanese businessman with longstanding ties to both former military ruler Sani Abacha and current President Bola Tinubu, is facing renewed scrutiny over how the company treats its Nigerian workforce.

Protest prompts layoffs at Lagos site

The layoffs followed a protest at one of the company’s construction sites in Lagos, where workers stopped work and marched to demand better conditions. Several of those affected said the company specifically targeted employees who participated in the demonstration. “They picked out those of us who protested,” one of the sacked workers said.

He explained that frustrations had been building for months, with workers calling for improvements in basic allowances. “We were getting N2,000 daily for transport. After the fuel subsidy was removed, fares skyrocketed, and we asked them to review it. They ignored us,” he said. “That’s what led to the protest last week. Afterward, they raised the transport allowance to N3,500—but by then, they had already decided to get rid of many of us, especially the ones who spoke up.” The same worker also pointed to other issues, including a lack of holiday pay, unequal treatment by foreign supervisors, and being forced to work under harsh conditions without regard for public holidays.

Inside Nigeria’s $700 million port push

ITB Nigeria is currently handling several major government contracts, including the $700 million Lagos Port renovation project. The deal was announced earlier this year as part of the Tinubu administration’s push to modernize Nigeria’s port infrastructure. According to the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the funds for the project were secured in 2024, with work expected to start once final agreements for port upgrades in the eastern region are signed off.

The Chagoury family has long been a dominant force in Nigeria’s private sector. Since launching the Chagoury Group in 1971, brothers Gilbert and Ronald Chagoury have built a sprawling conglomerate that stretches across construction, real estate, milling, water treatment, telecommunications, hospitality, and finance. One of Gilbert Chagoury’s most high-profile developments is Eko Atlantic City, a planned mega-city built on land reclaimed from the Atlantic Ocean. It’s pitched as the future commercial heart of Lagos, with space for 250,000 residents and capacity for 150,000 daily visitors.

Power, legacy, and Lagos coastal dreams

Another major project tied to the family is the 700-kilometer Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, which was awarded to Hitech Construction Company, also under Chagoury’s control. His growing influence over high-value infrastructure contracts has brought renewed attention to his ties with Nigeria’s political elite.

Gilbert Chagoury’s business empire has not been without controversy. His relationship with Sani Abacha helped secure early government deals, but after Abacha’s death in 1998, Chagoury returned about $300 million to Nigeria in a deal that helped him avoid prosecution and safeguard his business operations. That agreement allowed him to move forward with Eko Atlantic and continue expanding his reach.

Despite the controversies, the Chagoury family has also made efforts to support public causes. In 2020, they donated N1 billion (about $2.6 million) to Lagos State for COVID-19 relief, a move seen by some as a gesture of goodwill amid growing public scrutiny.