By Ibrahim Kegbegbe
FCT, Abuja -October 29, 2026
President Bola Tinubu has directed the immediate clearance of more than 300 containers of electricity equipment stranded at Nigerian ports, with some reportedly held for up to 20 years.
The Minister of Power, Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe, disclosed this on Wednesday while briefing journalists after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
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According to the minister, the President directed the Ministry of Power to work with the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to resolve outstanding charges and customs-related issues delaying the release of the equipment.
Tegbe described the prolonged detention of the containers as unacceptable, noting that some had remained at the ports for between 14 and 20 years.
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He explained that the government would engage technical experts to inspect the equipment after clearance to determine its condition and suitability for use.
The minister said equipment found to be serviceable would be deployed to appropriate electricity infrastructure projects, while obsolete or unusable materials would be handled accordingly.
The directive forms part of the Federal Government’s broader efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s electricity transmission network and improve the utilisation of existing power sector assets.
Tegbe also disclosed that the government was pursuing plans to increase electricity transmission capacity from approximately 5,000 megawatts to 19,000 megawatts within two years through proposed East and West Super Grids.
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The government has also approved additional transmission infrastructure projects aimed at addressing bottlenecks and improving electricity delivery across parts of the country.
The clearance exercise is expected to establish how much of the long-stranded equipment can still be used to support Nigeria’s electricity infrastructure. However, the minister did not disclose the total value of the equipment or the deadline for completing the clearance process.
The Merit Newspaper reports that the equipment’s eventual contribution to electricity supply will depend on the outcome of the technical assessments and the successful deployment of serviceable materials.
