President Tinubu Support Local Manufacturing of Energy Products

By Micheal Chukwuebuka

President Bola Tinubu has reaffirmed his determination to unlock Nigeria’s gas resources to power industries, improve electricity supply, create jobs and boost export earnings.

A statement by the Special Adviser to the President, Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga says the President said this amid the indigenous engineering firm Lee Engineering’s achievement of building two compressor stations to enable the Escravos–Lagos Pipeline System to operate at its full capacity of 2.3 billion standard cubic feet of gas per day.

The President spoke while receiving the Founder and Chairman of Lee Engineering Group, Dr Leemon Ikpea at the State House, Abuja.

President Tinubu reaffirmed his administration’s Nigeria First policy and urged international oil companies operating in the country to give competent Nigerian engineering and manufacturing firms greater opportunities to participate in major energy projects.

Lee Engineering is handling the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) of two midline compressor stations in Edo State. Although the pipeline’s designed capacity was increased from 1.1 billion to 2.3 billion standard cubic feet of gas per day under the ELPS II expansion, the compressor stations are needed to raise operating pressure and enable the pipeline to deliver at its full capacity.

The project is expected to strengthen gas transportation to power plants and industries along that corridor, support increased gas supplies to neighbouring West African countries through the West African Gas Pipeline, and create opportunities for additional export revenue.

President Tinubu said Nigeria First must translate into more contracts for capable Nigerian firms, greater use of locally manufactured equipment and more skilled jobs for Nigerians. He encouraged international oil companies to build stronger partnerships with indigenous engineering companies that have demonstrated the capacity to deliver complex projects.