By George Omagbemi
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reaffirmed his administration’s support for indigenous engineering companies, urging international oil firms to award more contracts to capable Nigerian businesses as the country seeks to expand gas supply and industrial development.
Tinubu made the call on Thursday while receiving Leemon Ikpea, founder and chairman of Lee Engineering Group, at the State House, Abuja.
Lee Engineering is handling the engineering, procurement and construction of two midline compressor stations in Edo State. The facilities are designed to raise operating pressure along the Escravos–Lagos Pipeline System (ELPS), enabling it to deliver its expanded capacity of 2.3 billion standard cubic feet of gas per day.
The pipeline’s capacity was increased from approximately 1.1 billion standard cubic feet daily under the expansion programme. The compressor stations are intended to improve gas transportation to power plants and industries, while supporting supplies to neighbouring West African countries through the West African Gas Pipeline.
According to the presidency’s account, Tinubu said his Nigeria First policy must translate into more contracts for competent local firms, greater use of Nigerian-made equipment and increased employment opportunities.
He also highlighted government directives on local content compliance, contracting costs and approval timelines, describing them as measures intended to attract investment and reduce project delays.
Ikpea said his company’s fabrication yard in Warri, Delta State, was manufacturing components for the compressor stations. He added that Nigerian engineering firms had developed the technical capacity to execute complex projects previously dominated by foreign contractors.
The project is expected to strengthen domestic gas supply and support Nigeria’s industrial and export ambitions.
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