Since oil was discovered in Nigeria in 1956, equipment and facilities used by the oil multinationals have largely been imported from abroad.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo had initiated the local content policy which encourages indigenous participation in the nation’s oil and gas industry.
To change the narrative of importing equipment, an indigenous company, Lee Engineering and Construction Company has established a facility that would engage in the production of some of the equipment.
Chairman of the company, Leemon Ikpea invited former President Obasanjo to inspect the facility located at Ekpan in Warri, Delta State.
Following his arrival in Warri, Mr Ikpea briefed the former President on the progress made so far by the company.
He said: “We discovered that if we decide to have our own facility here, Nigeria is going to save a huge amount of money. Nigeria is going to have the strong capacity to be making some of these things that we have been buying abroad, we will be doing them right here”.
In his response, former President Obasanjo said: “Oil companies that we are hoping will continue to be our partner are dwindling and in fact, diminishing rather than increasing. If we don’t have companies like Lee Engineering, then we are done for. Our students will come out of Petroleum University and will not have any opportunity”.
The former President was consequently conducted around the company’s facility where he was shown some equipment.
Brief journalists after the inspection, he said: “This facility needs to be given jobs so that the facilities themselves and the people who are working here will continue to make meaningful contribution to the Nigerian economy”.
