Nigeria Begins Clearing Electricity Equipment Stranded at Ports for Over a Decade

The Federal Government has begun moving electricity equipment stranded at Nigerian ports for more than a decade, in a move expected to support efforts to improve power supply across the country.

The Federal Ministry of Power said 44 containers had been cleared from Apapa Port out of more than 300 containers of abandoned electrical equipment.

Some of the containers have reportedly remained at the ports since 2014, despite being imported for electricity infrastructure projects.

Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, announced the development after the Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja, saying President Bola Tinubu had directed the ministry to work with the Nigeria Customs Service and Nigerian Ports Authority to resolve the delays.

Tegbe said the president also directed the agencies to reconcile outstanding charges responsible for keeping the equipment at the ports.

The minister described the situation as unacceptable, given the country's need for electricity infrastructure.

After clearance, technical experts will inspect the equipment to determine which items are still usable.

Those considered serviceable will be deployed to ongoing power projects, while obsolete materials will be disposed of.

The equipment includes transformers, cables, switchgear and other materials required to strengthen electricity transmission infrastructure.

The prolonged delay has been linked to unpaid port charges, incomplete customs procedures and poor coordination among government agencies.

Meanwhile, the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC) had earlier recovered 110 abandoned containers and 216 packages, saving more than ₦30 billion and unlocking about 470 megawatts of electricity for the national grid through recovered turbines.

The latest clearance exercise is expected to make additional equipment available for projects aimed at improving the country's electricity transmission capacity.

However, the actual impact on power supply will depend on the condition of the recovered equipment and how quickly it can be deployed.

The government has also proposed East and West Super Grid projects to increase Nigeria's electricity transmission capacity from about 5,000 megawatts to 19,000 megawatts within two years.