Oil & Gas
Olu of Warri , Kings Good Hosts of Niger Delta Crude Oil Bearing Communities
The Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Lee Engineering & Construction Limited, Dr. Leemon Ikpea, who has been a major player in the oil and gas sector of the Nigerian economy for 46 years, has commended the good nature and behavior of some traditional rulers in the oil-bearing communities of Nigeria.
Singling out the Olu of Warri, Ogiamen Atuwase III, His Royal Majesty Pere Ayemi Botu and some Ovies in the Niger Delta Region of the country for their accommodation and cordial relations with oil companies operating in their communities.
Chief Ikpea, however, appealed to leaders and communities in the region, who are hostile to oil and gas companies in their domains to be more charitable and follow the good examples of the kings and people earlier mentioned saying, “Many Nigerians are very hardworking, they are equally very dedicated people, while majority of the Nigerian youths are ready to work, but if the work is not available and the environments where this work is available are hostile, it then becomes a problem, the country will invariably not prosper as expected.
That is why my advice to most communities where I find myself is to always tell them, that if they are lucky to find some people coming to invest and site their companies in their communities, the least that is expected of them is to cooperate with such company owners and the workers they bring to work in their communities. They are therefore to consider such an act as a rare blessing, which they should be grateful about. The Community leaders and the people should endeavor to work with such people to bring progress to their places. If this is done, the company’s management will be watching and noting developments in due course the company will be left with no other option than to give back to these host communities for all their assistance in helping them to grow.Sadly, in some communities in the Niger Delta Region, the hostility of the leaders and people in these communities usually prevents companies coming to set up in their areas because they don’t feel safe.
He continued, “I Chief Leemon Ikpea grew up in Warri. Warri in those good old days. While growing up in Warri as a young man, we had oil companies like MacDemond, alongside very many oil companies in Warri then. There were so many other activities going on in that City, but unfortunately, Warri unlike in the past is today an empty shadow of its old self. As we speak today, there is virtually nothing going on in Warri. For example, it is because I am a Warri boy, that is why I located my official base in Warri, just because I can’t run away from where, I grew up.
I must therefore seize this opportunity to thank His Royal Majesty, Ogiamen Atunwase III alongside other first class kings and Ovies in the Niger Delta Region for being such a wonderful host. I do have a very strong personal relationship with these kings. They have all been doing their very best to assist me and also help my outfits in their communities in doing their businesses effortlessly without any rift or rancur. This we are very grateful about. My appeal therefore, is for some leaders and communities in this same region to learn to co-operate with upcoming contractors trying to do business in their communities. My appeal is for them to cooperate with these young companies so that they also grow as we did. As most of the sponsors of these young companies are Nigerians they are not foreigners, even if they are foreigners, community leaders and their people need to learn to work with these people for them to grow and help develop their places. Nigerians want to give back to Nigerians and as such, it is unreasonable for Nigerians to be seen to be hostile to fellow Nigerians. Once we learn to show love to one another God’s blessings will surely follow.
On the Nigerian Senate investigating committee verdict, that commended him, for coming clean, not found wanting of any infractions in the N250 billion Naira Gas Expansion programme Fund Probe that was recently concluded, that gave a clean bill of health to Lee Engineering Company Limited, Chief Dr. Leemon Ikpea said, “My company and I, regard this verdict as a victory for the truth, integrity, industry and competence and an honour to all the genuine players in the Nigerian crude oil and gas industries. Dr. Ikpea in this exclusive interview, said, “I guess you know where we are coming from, as this is my 46 years in the Nigerian Crude oil and gas industry. We built the Warri Refinery in the early 70s, I was a Manager in that Refinery in 1984 when we were building the place. Not as a staff but as one of the major contractors that built that place. So, over the years, I have come to know and appreciate greatly what integrity is. I know what it is to be honest and hardworking. It is therefore usually very sad when some group of people for no justifiable reasons try to blackmail one, for selfish and malicious reasons, such an ungodly act gives one severe pains in the process.
He added, “Have you been to Lee Engineering facility in Warri? In that facility alone, we are taking care of more than four thousand people, multiply this number by three persons for example in a family, times this number that will give you on average about 12,000 people in one facility alone. I have over these years invested in this factory in Warri and I have spent more than over 100 million dollars in this place alone. At this point, we are at the completion stages of this particular factory. At some point in recent times, I discovered that we were short of funds. As expected I borrowed some money from my banks which is normal, as no business man or woman can survive without occasionally accessing some facilities from the banks. I therefore approached my banks and borrowed some money from them, I was therefore shocked and surprised when I saw an advertorial in the newspapers which included the name of Lee Engineering among the companies that allegedly borrowed money from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), which was not true. If you must know the truth, I have never done anything in my entire life with the CBN and I honestly do not know anybody up till this day in the CBN. I was therefore shocked when the name of my company was included alongside companies that allegedly borrowed money from the CBN. So, the Nigerian Senate Committee headed by Senator Agom Jarigbe, invited my company alongside other companies accused of these infractions, about a week or so ago to Abuja, I went to the place with all my staff, it was at that particular meeting that I told the members of the Senate Committee investigating this matter, to endeavor to go to Warri and see for themselves our little efforts, what we have been doing over the years in Warri. The committee members truly went to our facility in Warri and they were amazed at what they saw on the ground. I was not there with them as I was already out of the country on some other assignments when they came visiting our facility, as I just returned back to the country from Qatar on Tuesday, the 5th of December 2023. I was told by my staff, who were on the ground to receive them, that they were highly impressed.
Dr. Ikpea further stressed, “It is human nature to see petty jealousy and attempt to blackmail people, who are minding their daily businesses and doing their jobs to the best of their ability.
Dr. Ikpea said, “As far as I am concerned, there is absolutely nothing for anybody to be jealous about me. Or an attempt to shoot me down, as at today that I am speaking with you, I have done my little beat at helping the people and communities where I operate to the best of my ability. As a way of giving back to the communities where I operate as part of my company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and as a way of thanking God, for his good gesture towards me, and to appreciate better the good God in his infinite wisdom has bestowed on me as Chief Leemon Ikpea, I have trained more than 50 doctorate degrees holders in various fields of endeavours. Most of these people I have never met in person and they are not my relatives or tribes men and women. Most of these people are already working. While two of these boys I trained are presently in the United States Marines corps serving the United States Government in whatever capacity they find themselves. Before taking up the responsibility of training these boys, who are today in the U.S. Marine Corps, I had never met them. I only saw their names on social media and that was how I took up the responsibility of training them. In the same spirit, I have again trained more than 200 students in various institutions across Nigeria. As we speak, so many people are enjoying my personal sponsorship and scholarships. Ditto for sick, fragile, and weak people especially elderly in the society. Men and women, who were in their sick beds at the point of death, which God used me to rescue and help to restore their health. Many of these people I sponsored their medical trips to India, Germany, London and the United State of America. As we speak and just recently, I paid for all the medical bills of an old man from Effurun Community in Delta State, he is presently in London taking treatment. This particular man was in the intensive care unit in a hospital in Port Harcourt when his people got in touch with me. These honestly are the things that give me immense joy as a person. I always want people to be happy through me, not unnecessary pettiness, jealousy and blackmail that some people get involved in that makes no meaning to me. This is why Chief Dr. Ikpea is different from most people.
The Chairman of the Senate Committee on Gas, Senator Agom Jarigbe, who headed the Senate panel that oversee how the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) intervention fund was disbursed and spent, in a personal letter dated, Tuesday, December 5th 2023, addressed to the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Lee Engineering and Construction Limited, declared that the committee found Chief Ikpea and his company not to have committed any infraction as far as the subject matter was concerned. This same letter commended Chief Ikpea for his immense contributions to the growth of the oil and gas industry of the country. Saying that Chief Ikpea’s zeal and development efforts need to be emulated by other companies in Nigeria.
The Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) has commenced the second phase of interviews for the 2026/2027 PhD award under its Overseas Scholarship Scheme (OSS), targeting 2,102 PhD applicants across Nigeria.
Speaking during the screening on Monday in Abuja, Dr.
Bello Mustapha, Deputy General Manager, Education and Training, PTDF said the ongoing exercise followed the completion of MSc interviews conducted in four centres nationwide.According to him, Abuja accounts for 912 candidates, scheduled for interviews over a five-day period, out of the 2,102 shortlisted nationwide.
Mustapha said the selection process followed the Federal Character principle, ensuring that candidates compete within their respective states, with top-performing applicants emerging based on merit.
He said the number of successful candidates to be awarded scholarships would depend strictly on budgetary provisions, with final decisions to be made by PTDF management after the interview process.
The PTDF official also disclosed that while the UK remains a destination for MSc scholars, the Fund has domesticated its PhD programme through a split-site arrangement involving partner universities, with candidates spending part of their study period abroad.
“Other countries participating in the scheme include Malaysia, Germany and France.
“The fund received over 30,000 applications for both MSc and PhD programmes, from which about 5,800 candidates were shortlisted for interviews,’’ he said.
The delegation from the Federal Character Commission (FCC) was on ground to monitor the ongoing PTDF 2026/2027 Scholarship selection for fairness
During the monitoring visit, the State Coordinator of the commission, John Uchara, accompanied by the Commissioner representing Benue State, Prof. Eugene Aleba, lauded PTDF for demonstrating compliance with federal character principles in the ongoing exercise.
Uchara said the commission’s presence was to ensure transparency, equity, and balance in the process, noting that the oversight was necessary to address concerns about marginalisation and imbalance in national opportunities.
“The exercise is open to candidates from all states of the federation, reinforcing inclusiveness in the selection process.
“Our duty is to ensure that what is being done here reflects the federal character principles, to avoid complaints from any part of Nigeria.
“From what we have seen, there is serious compliance with the principles. However, the final assessment will be based on the overall intake and how well it reflects national balance,” he said.
The FCC official, while reaffirming its commitment for continuous monitoring to ensure fairness and transparency, urged PTDF to consider expanding the scope of the programme to accommodate more qualified applicants.
A panelist at the ongoing interviews, Prof. Bashir Aliyu, from Modibbo Adama University, Yola, described the quality of candidates as highly impressive, noting that the process was progressing smoothly and transparently.
“We have started the interviews very well, and the exercise is progressing smoothly with candidates demonstrating strong academic and research potential.
“The panel focuses primarily on assessing the overall quality of candidates, including their academic background, research capacity, and the relevance of their proposed PhD work to national development.
“We look at their first degree, their master’s performance, their ability, and the quality of the work they present, especially in terms of innovation, potential for patenting, and usefulness to the country,” he explained.
He said while preliminary screening such as verification of academic records and credentials had already been conducted by PTDF, the panel’s role was to evaluate the strength and originality of candidates’ PhD proposals, as well as their professional conduct and research experience.
On the integrity of the process, Aliyu disclosed that PTDF has put in place robust verification mechanisms, including document authentication and checks on publications, to ensure only credible candidates are selected.
Tanko Fwadwabea, a Chemical Engineer, said his proposed PhD research focused on process simulation for blue hydrogen production, with the goal of adding value to Nigeria’s vast natural gas resources while reducing carbon emissions.
He expressed optimism that the scholarship opportunity would enable him to realise his research ambitions and contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s energy future.
A returning candidate, Cornelia Collins-Onoha, a geosciences-based researcher while expressing optimism said her proposed PhD study focused on the spread and persistence of antimicrobial-resistant genes in aquatic environments, particularly in communities affected by oil pollution.
“I was here in 2025 but didn’t make the final list. However, I remain hopeful that this time around it will work out. This year, the process is prompter and more structured,” she said.
Collins-Onoha expressed confidence that her research and determination would contribute meaningfully to both environmental sustainability and public health in Nigeria.
Analysts have warned of significant crude oil price hikes which would further erode global economic prospects.
Top grade Brent crude could surge to $200 a barrel if the Iran conflict drags on through the end of June and the Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed to shipping traffic, Macquarie strategists warned in a note.
These fears were echoed by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, who warned at an energy conference in Cairo that supply disruptions and rising prices could push oil above $200 per barrel, calling such projections realistic rather than exaggerated.
Egypt, which maintains close ties with the U.
S. and Gulf states, has condemned Iran’s attacks on Gulf Arab nations and is actively supporting diplomatic efforts to prevent a broader regional conflict.Macquarie laid out two scenarios for the oil market. In the more likely case, assigned a 60 per cent probability, the war winds down soon, prices fall relatively quickly from current levels near $108 a barrel, and the economic damage remains contained.
But in the second scenario, which Macquarie puts at a 40 per cent chance, the disruption proves far more durable, with consequences the strategists describe as historically unprecedented.
“With the global economy much less oil-intensive than 50 years ago, we would not be surprised if that would require historically high real prices ($200) for a time,” strategists led by Peter Taylor said in the note.
The scale of the supply disruption is already striking. With the Strait of Hormuz mostly closed, Macquarie estimates around 13% of global oil production will be shut in by end of March, a hit already larger than the peak seen in either of the 1970s oil shocks or the first two Gulf Wars. In 2025, the world consumed almost 105 million barrels per day of oil and products.
Emergency stockpiles held by IEA members over 1.2 billion barrels would provide some buffer, but the strategists note these can only be released slowly. Some countries in Asia are already facing physical shortages of diesel and jet fuel.
“If the Strait were to stay closed for an extended period, prices would need to move high enough to destroy an historically large amount of global oil demand,” the strategists wrote.
Should prices reach $200, the team projects that talk would quickly turn to global recession, with growth slowing by around one percentage point relative to 2025. Central banks would face a stagflationary environment with weak growth alongside elevated inflation with echoes of the 1970s.
In the U.S., the Fed would be confronted with near-zero or negative employment growth alongside rising prices, according to Macquarie.
That said, the strategists suspect a full global recession could be narrowly avoided, partly because governments would likely step in to subsidize energy costs, as several already have. Japan and Italy have already moved in that direction.
Overall, Macquarie’s base case remains a relatively swift resolution. With around 15% of global oil supply at risk of being held back indefinitely, the economic incentive to reach a deal is enormous.
“It is that reality that underpins our view that a deal must eventually be made,” the strategists said.
Sri Lanka has issued guidelines to government institutions on the prudent use of fuel and energy amid possible disruptions to fuel imports caused by escalating tensions in the Middle East.
The Office of the Commissioner General of Essential Services issued the guidelines to ministry secretaries, provincial and district secretaries, and heads of government and statutory institutions and called for measures to reduce fuel and electricity consumption across the public sector.
Officials have been advised to avoid using individual vehicles to commute to work and instead use public transport or group transport whenever possible, according to the office.
Government institutions have also been instructed to prepare daily transport plans to reduce the number of vehicles used for field duties.
The guidelines set out steps to conserve electricity and energy, including maximising natural lighting, reducing the use of air conditioning by relying more on electric fans, and limiting elevator use by encouraging people to take the stairs.
Local government authorities have been directed to switch off street lights during unnecessary hours and temporarily turn off street lighting in non-high-security areas as a precautionary measure, the office said.
The guidelines further encourage heads of institutions to allow staff to work remotely where technological facilities are available instead of requiring physical attendance.
The office urged all public officials to act responsibly, set an example for the public, and extend maximum support to national energy conservation and security efforts.
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