By Ghazali Ibrahim
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Monday received Bayo Ogunlesi, the Nigerian-born billionaire and owner of the UK’s Gatwick Airport, at his residence in Lagos.
Ogunlesi, who serves as the Chief Executive Officer of Global Infrastructure Partners (GIP) and is currently a Senior Managing Director at BlackRock following its acquisition of GIP, was accompanied by business magnate Hakeem Belo-Osagie.
The discussions also featured the Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Dr. Zacch Adedeji, and Professor Afolabi Ogunlesi.
The high-level meeting, which held behind closed doors, has sparked interest over possible investment discussions and infrastructure collaborations between Ogunlesi’s global interests and Nigeria’s economic development agenda.
Ogunlesi, widely regarded as one of the most influential Nigerians in global finance, is best known for leading GIP’s acquisition of major international airports including Gatwick in the UK and Edinburgh Airport in Scotland.
His presence in Lagos and meeting with President Tinubu hints at growing efforts to leverage diaspora expertise and capital for national growth.
Although official details of the discussion were not disclosed, but sources say the meeting bothered on public-private partnerships, and potential collaboration to attract global capital into Nigeria’s transport and energy sectors.
