Power Minister Takes Delivery of 98 Stranded Containers From Customs

Power Minister Takes Delivery of 98 Stranded Containers From Customs

By Our Reporter

Lagos (Core Reporters) The Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, has taken delivery of 98 containers of transmission equipment previously stranded at Nigerian ports for periods of up to 20 years, in a move aimed at strengthening the country’s electricity transmission network.

The containers, which contain critical equipment for the expansion and rehabilitation of the national grid, were released following President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive for their immediate clearance.

Speaking during a media briefing in Lagos, Tegbe disclosed that 44 containers were initially released from the ENL Terminal, while another 54 were secured from the APMT and Sun & Moon Terminals, bringing the total number of recovered containers to 98 out of more than 300.

He said the equipment included high-capacity transformers, cables and switchgear procured to expand the transmission network and address overloading at substations across the country.

According to the minister, the prolonged detention of the equipment had delayed critical transmission projects, increased pressure on existing substations, exposed valuable assets to deterioration and resulted in the accumulation of terminal charges.

He noted that the consequences of the delay had been felt by businesses forced to rely on expensive alternative power sources, households experiencing electricity interruptions and public institutions struggling to sustain essential services.

Tegbe attributed the breakthrough to President Tinubu’s directive, which prompted the Ministry of Power and the Nigeria Customs Service to work towards securing the release of the stranded cargoes.

He expressed appreciation to the President and acknowledged the support of the Ministers of Finance and Marine and Blue Economy, the Comptroller-General of Customs, as well as officials of the Ministry of Power and its agencies.

Also speaking at the event, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, said the release followed the President’s instruction that outstanding charges and administrative bottlenecks delaying the clearance of the containers be urgently resolved.

Adeniyi explained that Customs had commenced the necessary processes in collaboration with the Ministry of Power, the Nigerian Ports Authority and terminal operators to facilitate the evacuation of the equipment.

He pledged the continued cooperation of the Service until all the stranded containers were cleared, while appealing to terminal operators to support the government’s effort to recover the critical national assets.

The minister disclosed that an initial inspection showed that most of the equipment remained useful and viable despite spending several years at the ports.

He said the recovered materials would undergo verification, testing and necessary refurbishment before being deployed to project sites to complete abandoned installations, ease pressure on overloaded substations and strengthen constrained transmission corridors.

Tegbe explained that the deployment of the equipment was expected to improve network reliability, reduce interruptions caused by overloading and enhance voltage performance across the electricity transmission system.

He assured Nigerians that the Ministry would monitor the recovery process through installation and commissioning, promising regular updates on the clearance of the remaining containers.

The minister also expressed confidence that the outstanding containers would be released without further delay.

He said the recovery of the long-stranded equipment represented a significant step towards translating government policies into tangible improvements in electricity supply, in line with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.