President Tinubu orders clearance of over 300 containers of stranded power equipment in Nigeria

Power Minister Olasunkanmi Tegbe announced on Wednesday that more than 300 containers of electricity equipment have been stranded at Nigerian ports for periods ranging from 14 to 20 years. The prolonged detention, he said, resulted from unpaid charges and unresolved customs procedures under previous administrations. President Bola Tinubu, speaking at a Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja, directed the Ministry of Power, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to begin an urgent clearance of the containers.

Tegbe described the situation as “appalling” and unacceptable, noting that the equipment had been sitting idle while the country’s transmission network struggled to meet demand. He explained that once the containers are cleared, technical experts will inspect the contents to determine which items remain serviceable and can be incorporated into ongoing power projects, and which are obsolete and will need to be disposed of.

Background

The stranded equipment has been accumulating over several administrations, with some containers reportedly held for as long as two decades. The delay was linked to outstanding port charges and incomplete customs clearance, issues that the current government aims to resolve. In the same Federal Executive Council briefing, Tegbe highlighted the government’s broader transmission agenda, which includes the approval of procurement for the East and West Super Grids. These projects are intended to raise Nigeria’s transmission capacity from roughly 5,000 MW to 19,000 MW within two years, linking corridors from Sokoto through Abuja and extending to other regions. Additional approvals were noted for transmission upgrades in Abuja, Lagos and the Lagos‑Shagamu industrial corridor, including a 33 kV double‑circuit line connected to the Katampe Transmission Substation.

Why it matters

The clearance of the containers could potentially free up a significant amount of power infrastructure that has been idle for years, helping to address chronic shortages in Nigeria’s electricity supply. The government has already paid more than one trillion naira toward the three‑trillion‑naira debt owed to electricity generation companies, a shortfall that has previously hampered gas supplies to power plants. Recovering usable equipment may reduce the need for fresh imports, lower costs for ongoing grid expansion, and accelerate the integration of new transmission projects. Stakeholders in the power sector, including generation companies and industrial consumers, stand to benefit from a more resilient and higher‑capacity grid.

What happens next

The president’s directive tasks the Ministry of Power, NPA and NCS with reconciling outstanding charges and completing the clearance process, though no specific deadline has been set. After the containers are opened, experts will assess each item’s condition and decide on its deployment or disposal. Simultaneously, the government will proceed with procurement for the East and West Super Grids and the approved transmission projects in Abuja, Lagos and the Lagos‑Shagamu corridor, aiming to meet the 19,000 MW target within the next two years.