FG Recovers Power Equipment Abandoned at Ports Since 2014

By Adebola Muili

The Federal Government has secured the release of 44 containers of electricity equipment abandoned at Apapa Port, Lagos, as part of efforts to recover more than 300 containers of power assets that have remained stranded at Nigerian ports for over a decade.

The Minister of Power, Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe, disclosed this after the recent Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja, explaining that some of the equipment had been trapped at the ports since 2014 due to administrative and financial challenges, including outstanding port charges.

He said the recovery followed a directive by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who instructed the Ministry of Power to work with the Nigeria Customs Service and the Nigerian Ports Authority to resolve the longstanding bottlenecks and facilitate the release of the equipment.

According to the Minister, the release of the first 44 containers marks a significant step towards recovering critical public assets that have remained unused for years and making them available for electricity infrastructure development.

“The release of the first 44 containers represents significant progress in our determination to recover critical power assets and accelerate infrastructure development,” Tegbe said.

He explained that technical experts would assess the recovered equipment to determine its condition and suitability for deployment, adding that serviceable items would be integrated into ongoing power projects, while those considered unserviceable would be appropriately disposed of.

The exercise is expected to make it possible for equipment that has remained idle for years to be put to productive use, particularly as the country continues to grapple with challenges affecting electricity generation, transmission and distribution.

The latest intervention follows an earlier recovery exercise by the Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC), under the leadership of its Managing Director, Engr. Jennifer Adighije, which reportedly led to the retrieval of 110 abandoned containers and 216 packages.

That exercise was said to have saved more than N30 billion and facilitated the recovery of turbines associated with approximately 470 megawatts of electricity generation capacity.

The Federal Government’s latest move is part of efforts to unlock investments tied down by administrative and financial challenges, recover valuable public assets and strengthen the country’s electricity infrastructure.

With more than 300 containers awaiting clearance, the government is expected to sustain its collaboration with the relevant agencies to ensure that the remaining equipment is recovered and assessed for possible deployment to power projects across the country.