Tinubu orders release of 300 electricity equipment containers stranded at ports
President Bola Tinubu has ordered the immediate release of more than 300 containers of electricity equipment stranded at Nigerian ports, with some held for up to 20 years over unpaid charges and unresolved customs procedures.
The Minister of Power, Olasunkanmi Tegbe, disclosed this on Wednesday while briefing State House correspondents after the Federal Executive Council meeting presided over by Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Tegbe said the President directed the Ministry of Power to work with the Nigerian Ports Authority and the Nigeria Customs Service to resolve outstanding issues and facilitate the release of the equipment.
He described the prolonged detention of the containers as unacceptable, noting that the equipment could help address infrastructure gaps in the country’s electricity transmission network.
According to the minister, the President also directed the relevant agencies to reconcile outstanding charges and complete the necessary clearance procedures.
Tegbe said technical experts would inspect the equipment after its release to determine its condition and suitability for use, adding that serviceable materials would be deployed to ongoing power projects while obsolete items would be handled appropriately.
He did not disclose the total value of the equipment, the outstanding charges or the deadline for completing the clearance exercise.
The development comes as the Federal Government moves to expand electricity transmission capacity through the proposed East and West Super Grids, for which Tinubu has authorised the commencement of procurement.
Tegbe said the projects were designed to increase Nigeria’s electricity transmission capacity from about 5,000 megawatts to 19,000MW within two years.
He explained that the proposed grids would strengthen transmission links across the country, connecting strategic corridors from Sokoto through Abuja to other parts of Nigeria.
The minister also announced three Federal Executive Council approvals for projects aimed at addressing transmission bottlenecks in Abuja, Lagos and the Lagos-Shagamu industrial corridor.
