The Federal Government has begun recovering hundreds of containers of electricity equipment stranded at Nigerian ports for more than a decade, in a move aimed at unlocking public investments and supporting critical power infrastructure projects.
The Federal Ministry of Power said the first 44 containers had been released from Apapa Port, Lagos, out of more than 300 containers awaiting clearance, some since 2014.
Minister of Power, Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe, disclosed the development after the recent Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja, saying the recovery followed President Bola Tinubu’s directive to resolve administrative and financial bottlenecks delaying the equipment’s release.
According to Tegbe, the ministry worked with the Nigeria Customs Service and Nigerian Ports Authority to address the longstanding issues, including the reconciliation of outstanding port charges.
He said technical experts would assess the recovered equipment to determine its condition and suitability for use, adding that serviceable items would be deployed to ongoing power projects while unserviceable equipment would be appropriately disposed of.
“The release of the first 44 containers represents significant progress in our determination to recover critical power assets and accelerate infrastructure development,” the minister said.
The latest recovery follows earlier efforts by the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC), under the leadership of Engr. Jennifer Adighije, which reportedly retrieved 110 abandoned containers and 216 packages.
The earlier exercise was said to have saved more than ₦30 billion and facilitated the recovery of turbines associated with about 470 megawatts of electricity generation capacity.
The Federal Government said the initiative was part of efforts to recover stranded public assets, strengthen electricity infrastructure and address obstacles affecting power delivery across the country.
The equipment’s eventual contribution to electricity supply will depend on the outcome of technical assessments and its suitability for deployment in ongoing projects.