By Emeka Obasi

Something great is shaking the global gas index with Nigeria moving steps higher through Engr. Dr. Emeka Okwuosa and his Oilserv. When doors are closing overseas, lines are falling in place for pipelines to snake through Africa and Europe.

Oilserv is led by a man who has seen the world and knows the business of creating wealth through pipelines. Okwuosa, originally an Electrical Engineer, electrified oil and gas movement underground, meandering difficult terrains to achieve result.

Fate has a way of playing out things. Okwuosa graduated from the University of Ife in 1982. Schlumberger found him early enough and sent the young man globe trotting for quite a while. In France, wine is bottled in Burgundy. This Nigerian thought of the best way to bottle energy.

Okwuosa worked in Scotland. While Scottish bag pipers entertained the crowd, all the Schlumberger Field Engineer saw was gigantic pipes that would link up continents transporting oil and gas. In Indonesia, he managed quite some challenging terrain as well.

That picture of pipeline from Africa to Europe is emerging. Ukraine and Russia may be close but the crisis around that part of the world is not confined to Europe anymore. The universe has caught cold. Prices of essential commodities have shot up in Africa and Europeans do not have enough gas.

Oilserv means service and events are unfolding fast. There is the Nigeria – Morocco Pipeline which will commence in the Niger Delta Region, run through Lagos and other West African Coasts to Mauritania. It leaves West Africa across Mauritanian soil up to Morocco before going further up under the sea to Spain.

Okwuosa has an eye on this project and although the process is in the pipeline, the man who knows how to lay pipes is digging deep to get a chunk of the deal. He bared his mind in a Media Chat.

“The point I am making,” the Oilserv boss said, “ is that Nigerian companies are laying pipelines offshore, and they have the capacity to lay these pipelines offshore. International companies are also involved. So it is an integration of works. Today, this is not anything negative at all for any Nigerian company to involve in.”

Moving all over West Africa is a welcome development. Okwuosa also worked in Mauritania, Senegal, Cote D’Ivoire, Ghana and Benin before setting up Oilserv in 1992.
Service took him to other African nations like Cameroon, Central African Republic, Gabon, Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola.

Oilserve began operations in 1995. Today, the company has offices in Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Benin Republic, Togo and Sierra Leone.

Another major project is the Trans Saharan Gas Pipeline ( TSGP). The source of that link is in Kano. It will then pass through Niger Republic to Algeria and terminate in Europe. Okwuosa is at home in the Maghreb having worked in Libya.

Another major good news is that this Irefi, Oraifitte man is churning out Nigerian millionaires. A very high percentage of the workforce can communicate in Wazobia. Next time you take a trip to East Africa, watch out for the expatriate sitting next to you, he could be an Oilserv Nigerian. West Africa is also home.

Oilserv workers dot the Coasts. These compatriots are earning good money and bringing their wealth back to the country to boost the economy. Soon and very soon, more will be reporting from Europe.

I must commend the Chairman of Oliserve Group of Companies. He has shown that pipelines are better for connection between West and North Africa as opposed to stories of Desperate Journeys across the Sahara Desert and the Mediterranean. I see Nigerians flying across the desert instead of trekking, to join Oilserv in Morocco and Algeria.

Okwuosa believes strongly in a home grown economy. He is not a politician but service has exposed him to the dynamics of political economy. His concern therefore is on service delivery through the local government system.

“I can tell you clearly that local governments are very impactful because they deal with people at the level you can see who is doing what.”

Okwuosa thinks there is a way round pipeline vandalism. “Every problem in the industry actually has solution. What to do is just to sit around it and strategize on the right solutions that are cost effective and deliver the goals.”

Then there is the charity endeavours of this great man. Through the Irene Okwuosa Memorial Hospital, world class doctors are brought from the United States and France, to perform open heart surgery, for free. You can imagine flying 45 specialists at a go.

President Muhammadu Buhari could not wait to celebrate an exceptional citizen. Engr. Dr. Emeka Okwuosa holds the national award of Commander of the Order of the Niger, CON. PMB had earlier honoured him with the National Productive Order of Merit Award.

Okwuosa imbibed humility from his mom, Dame Irene. From his Dad, a teacher, Sir Emeka Okwuosa, had discipline and hard work ingrained in him.

Ironically, this man, Emeka Okwuosa, who is connecting the world with pipelines is always piping low. He is just like any other citizen of Nigeria. Simply put, it pays to be hard working. And humble.