The Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, has directed the Nigerian Ports Authority and seaport terminal operators to facilitate the evacuation of electricity equipment that has remained stranded at Nigerian ports for nearly two decades.
Oyetola said some of the containers had been at the ports since 2007, stressing the need for relevant government agencies to remove the administrative and operational bottlenecks delaying their release.
The minister disclosed this in a statement shared on his X handle on Tuesday, following President Bola Tinubu’s directive to facilitate the evacuation of the consignments.
He said the NPA and terminal operators had been instructed to work closely with the Nigeria Customs Service and the Federal Ministry of Power to ensure the prompt release of the equipment.
“All relevant agencies must work in concert to ensure that administrative and operational bottlenecks do not further delay the release of these vital assets,” Oyetola stated.
The stranded consignments reportedly include high-capacity transformers, electrical cables, switchgear and other equipment imported for critical electricity projects involving government agencies and power-sector institutions.
The prolonged detention of the equipment has raised concerns about the country’s handling of critical infrastructure materials, particularly amid persistent challenges in electricity transmission and distribution.
The Nigeria Customs Service had earlier announced the commencement of efforts to release some of the stranded electricity equipment, with 98 containers reportedly approved for evacuation as part of the intervention.
Emphasising the importance of the exercise, Oyetola said Nigeria’s ports should support national development rather than allow essential infrastructure materials to remain trapped by bureaucratic delays.
“Our ports must be facilitators of national development. I have therefore charged the NPA and terminal operators to provide all necessary logistical and operational support to ensure the exercise is completed without further delay,” he said.
The minister reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to improving the country’s maritime infrastructure, noting that efficient port operations were essential to achieving Nigeria’s economic and strategic development objectives.
“We are committed to making our maritime infrastructure more efficient and responsive to Nigeria’s economic and strategic development priorities,” Oyetola added.
