FG releases 98 of 300 containers of power equipment stranded for 20 years

The Federal Government has secured the release of 98 containers of transmission equipment that had been stranded at Nigerian ports for almost 20 years, in a move expected to strengthen the national electricity grid.

The Federal Ministry of Power disclosed this in a statement by the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, following the Nigeria Customs Service’s approval to release the equipment on the directive of President Bola Tinubu.

The equipment is expected to help expand the national grid, reduce pressure on overloaded substations and accelerate stalled power infrastructure projects.

The government is also working to secure the release of the remaining containers, with plans to inspect, test and deploy the equipment to locations where it is most needed.

Nigeria Releases 98 Containers of Power Equipment

Tegbe said the first batch of 98 containers had been released following the President’s intervention, describing the development as a significant step towards addressing infrastructure constraints in the power sector.

He explained that the equipment was originally procured to expand the transmission network, ease pressure on overloaded substations and improve electricity supply across the country.

The minister said engineers would verify and test the equipment before deploying it to relevant project sites.

He also said the government was taking further steps to secure the release of the remaining more than 200 containers without further delay.

Tegbe said:

• “For nearly 20 years, over 300 containers of transmission equipment sat stranded at our ports.
• “This equipment was bought to expand the network, relieve overloaded substations and bring more reliable electricity to Nigerians. Yesterday, the Nigeria Customs Service approved the release of the first 98.
• “Our engineers will now verify the equipment, test it and deploy it where it is needed most. That means completing stalled projects, easing pressure on overloaded substations and strengthening the grid.
• “This is a significant first step, and we are working to secure the release of the remaining 200+ containers without further delay.”

The ministry said the release would support efforts to strengthen the transmission network and improve the delivery of electricity to consumers.

FG Moves to Clear Remaining Power Equipment

The minister credited Tinubu for approving the release and acknowledged the contributions of government officials and agencies involved in resolving the bottlenecks.

He expressed appreciation to the Minister of Finance, Taiwo Oyedele; the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola; the Comptroller-General of Customs; the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA); terminal operators; and officials of the Ministry of Power and its agencies.

Tegbe said:

• “We are grateful to His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for approving the release. We also thank the Comptroller-General and officers of the Nigeria Customs Service, the Honourable Minister of Finance, the Honourable Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, the Nigerian Ports Authority, the terminal operators and the TCN team for their support. A stronger grid, one step at a time.”

According to the statement, an inspection found that most of the equipment was useful and viable. The ministry said the equipment would be verified, tested and refurbished where necessary before being deployed to project sites.

The deployment is expected to help complete stalled installations, ease pressure on overloaded substations and strengthen constrained transmission corridors.

Speaking at the event, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adeniyi, said the release followed the President’s directive for immediate clearance and the resolution of outstanding charges and administrative bottlenecks.

He said the Service had begun working with the Ministry of Power, the NPA and terminal operators to clear the containers. Adeniyi also pledged to work with the minister until all the remaining containers were released and appealed to terminal operators to support the exercise.

What you should know

In August 2025, President Tinubu directed the expansion of ongoing power infrastructure projects under the Presidential Power Initiative (PPI), with implementation planned in three phases.

• The directive formed part of his administration’s efforts to achieve stable, reliable and affordable electricity across Nigeria.
• Tinubu gave the instruction during a meeting with a delegation from Siemens Energy led by Dietmar Siersdorfer, the company’s Managing Director for the Middle East and Africa.
• He commended Siemens Energy for its continued collaboration with Nigeria under the PPI, which was initiated in 2019 under former President Muhammadu Buhari to address bottlenecks in the country’s power transmission and distribution networks.

The President also assured the delegation that his administration would provide the necessary political and financial support to complete the ongoing phases of the project.

The release of the stranded equipment is expected to support these broader efforts to expand transmission capacity and address infrastructure constraints affecting electricity supply across the country.