The Federal Government has secured the release of 98 containers of electricity transmission equipment stranded at Nigerian ports for years, in a move aimed at strengthening the national grid and completing stalled power infrastructure projects.
The equipment, comprising high-capacity transformers, cables and switchgear, was released following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive for the immediate clearance of more than 300 containers held at various port terminals.
Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, disclosed this at a media briefing in Lagos, saying 44 containers were released from ENL Terminal, while another 54 were cleared from APMT and Sun & Moon Terminals.
Tegbe said the prolonged detention of the equipment had stalled transmission projects, left substations under strain, exposed valuable assets to deterioration and resulted in mounting port charges.
He noted that the delays had also affected electricity consumers, with businesses spending more on alternative power, households experiencing interruptions and public institutions struggling to maintain essential services.
The minister credited Tinubu’s directive for the breakthrough and commended the Ministers of Finance and Marine and Blue Economy, the Comptroller-General of Customs and officials of the Ministry of Power and its agencies for their roles in securing the release.
Speaking at the briefing, Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, said the agency was working with the Ministry of Power, Nigerian Ports Authority and terminal operators to resolve outstanding charges and administrative bottlenecks.
Adeniyi pledged continued collaboration with the minister until all the containers were cleared, while appealing to terminal operators to support the national effort.
Tegbe said preliminary inspections indicated that most of the equipment remained viable and could be deployed after verification, testing and necessary refurbishment.
The recovered assets are expected to be used to complete stalled installations, relieve overloaded substations and strengthen constrained transmission corridors.
According to the minister, the projects, once completed and commissioned, could improve voltage performance, reduce interruptions caused by overloading and strengthen electricity transmission to homes, businesses and public institutions.
He assured Nigerians that the ministry would monitor the equipment’s recovery, installation and commissioning, while providing updates on the remaining containers.