Positioned for Nigeria’s large-scale projects

Nigeria

Timi Austen-Peters, chairman of Dorman Long Engineering, talks to The Energy Year about how the company’s Afreximbank facility is supporting its regional expansion, and why Nigeria’s revived large-scale energy projects align strongly with the company’s core capabilities.

Dorman Long Engineering provides heavy engineering, fabrication and galvanising services to the energy and infrastructure sectors.

• Project momentum in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector is returning. Delayed investments are moving forward as operator approvals resume, signalling a new cycle of upstream and midstream activity after years of stalled decision-making.
• Local engineering capacity is becoming a strategic advantage, with established in-country fabrication and engineering players being in a good position to capture value from large-scale projects, which is reducing the sector’s reliance on international contractors.
• In parallel, engineering firms are leveraging financing and partnerships to scale across borders, targeting markets with limited local capacity and infrastructure gaps to fuel growth.

How would you describe Dorman Long Engineering’s key services?
Dorman Long Engineering is a leading provider of heavy engineering, fabrication and galvanising services to the energy and infrastructure sectors. Since its establishment in 1949, the company has been a major contributor to Nigeria’s industrial and infrastructure development, executing landmark projects that range from steel fabrication for bridges and industrial facilities to modern EPC services.
With over 76 years of experience, Dorman Long has expanded its capabilities across oil and gas, power, telecommunications and manufacturing, operating multiple facilities in Lagos and consistently delivering high-quality engineering solutions to both local and regional markets.

What has the last year looked like for Dorman Long, and what changes have you seen in the market?
The past year was a pivotal period of consolidation for Dorman Long Engineering, as we completed several major projects and positioned the business for the next phase of growth. While sector-wide approvals slowed during NNPCL’s restructuring, we used this time to strengthen our capabilities and prepare for a pipeline of large-scale projects. We are now seeing decisions come through, with activity expected to accelerate from this year.

How is the growing project activity in Nigeria’s energy industry creating opportunities for your company?
Shell and other operators are finally progressing projects they’ve talked about for over a decade. That’s great news for us. Our infrastructure allows us to execute on a scale few can match – our galvanising plant can handle large, specialised components and we have unique rolling machines.
These new large-scale projects are exactly what we’ve positioned for, and they play directly to our strengths.

Do you take on these large projects independently, or do you rely on partnerships?
We take a disciplined, partnership-driven approach to delivery. While our core capabilities are anchored in Lagos across three operational yards, we work with established local and international partners to extend capacity and execute efficiently across different regions when required.
Our investment approach is deliberate. We have made significant long-term investments, such as our world-class galvanising facility, and we scale further only when demand is proven and sustainable. Partnerships allow us to remain flexible, manage risk effectively and expand in line with market momentum, without compromising on quality or delivery standards.

What are the financial and operational challenges companies like yours face when operating in Nigeria?
The biggest issue is high fixed costs – and staying “mission ready” long before projects start. Clients inspect facilities up to six months in advance and again just before execution, so we must maintain peak readiness even when idle.
That’s manageable during busy periods, but a real strain when the pipeline slows. We’ve been fortunate: we have a strong internal team, private equity backing and trusted client relationships that give us resilience, but it’s still painful to bear those costs without guaranteed returns.

With future demand potentially rising, do you have any plans to expand your facilities in Nigeria?
Our focus remains on optimising and maximising our existing capacity. Our galvanising plant and other facilities are fully operational, and we are ensuring they are leveraged efficiently to meet current and near-term demand.
Expansion is always considered strategically. We will invest in additional land, equipment, or yards when there is clear, sustained demand, supported by a robust project pipeline. This approach allows us to grow in a disciplined way, maintain quality and ensure that every investment delivers long-term value.

You recently signed a credit facility agreement with Afreximbank. What will this enable you to do?
Signing with Afreximbank is a credibility marker. It confirms we’re structured, serious and aligned with intra-African trade ambitions. That’s important to us.
This facility strengthens our ability to execute projects across borders. We see it as a starting point to expand operations continentally – Ghana is already in the works, and we plan to grow our footprint across Africa using this platform.
We’ve already registered a corporate entity in Ghana and have been invited to negotiate terms for a couple of midstream and downstream projects. This is not just about trade – it’s about deploying teams on the ground to deliver projects.

Looking ahead, what are your geographic priorities for Dorman Long’s growth?
Nigeria is home – and always will be – but we are actively exploring opportunities in high-potential African countries where our capabilities in heavy engineering, fabrication, and galvanising can make the most impact. Our strategy focuses on markets with strong demand for large-scale energy and infrastructure projects, and we remain flexible to expand where partnerships and local conditions support sustainable growth.
Beyond Ghana, we’re increasing our interest in Angola, Namibia and Côte d’Ivoire. These are markets where our skills and experience are relevant and local capacity is limited.
We’re also watching other countries in Africa, but our core growth focus remains on the West and select East African countries.

And in terms of competitive positioning, how do you see Dorman Long Engineering’s offering in the wider African market?
We bring a compelling combination: proven experience, a trained workforce, top-tier certifications, and infrastructure – all at a more cost-effective rate than Western contractors, with no compromise on quality.
That makes us an ideal partner for governments and operators across the continent. We’re looking not only to grow commercially, but to contribute to Africa’s infrastructure and energy evolution in a way that builds lasting local capacity.

Read our latest insights on:

• Angola
• Ghana
• Namibia
• Nigeria