The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has commenced the evacuation of 98 containers of electricity transmission equipment stranded at the Apapa and Tin-Can ports for periods ranging from 14 to 20 years.
The exercise follows approval of waivers on accumulated port charges by the Minister of Finance, Taiwo Oyedele, to facilitate the release of the long-abandoned consignments.
Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, announced the commencement of the operation on Friday in Lagos, disclosing that the first batch of 44 containers was being evacuated from ENL Terminal.
He said another 54 containers located at APMT and Sun and Moon terminals would also be released.
The consignments contain high-capacity transformers, cables, switchgear and other critical electricity transmission equipment imported for the Federal Ministry of Power and government agencies, including the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC).
Adeniyi said the service had introduced priority processing, dedicated officers for joint examinations and approved waivers to accelerate the clearance process.
He added that Customs was collaborating with the Ministry of Power, TCN, NDPHC, Nigerian Ports Authority and other maritime stakeholders to ensure the successful evacuation of the equipment.
According to him, technical experts would inspect the consignments after their release to determine their condition and suitability for deployment to ongoing and abandoned electricity projects.
The equipment, he said, would be distributed to transmission corridors and substations across the country, while obsolete items would be disposed of based on expert recommendations.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, said the equipment was originally procured to expand Nigeria’s transmission network, reduce pressure on existing substations and improve electricity supply.
He lamented that the prolonged stay of the consignments at the ports had prevented their deployment, leaving existing facilities to shoulder additional loads that the new equipment was intended to ease.
Tegbe said engineers would verify the inventory, assess the condition of the equipment and conduct necessary technical tests before deployment. Where repairs or other interventions are required, the ministry would undertake them.
He disclosed that some of the equipment was still relatively new, adding that consignments were being prepared for deployment to locations including Kaduna, Lafia and Kwale.
The minister expressed optimism that putting the equipment to use would provide additional capacity at affected locations and improve operational flexibility across the power network.
The development comes amid renewed efforts by the Federal Government to address persistent electricity supply challenges, following recent directives to TCN, the Nigerian Independent System Operator and electricity distribution companies to resolve operational constraints affecting power generation and distribution.