Sequel to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s directive for the immediate removal of critical consignments that have remained trapped at the ports for between 14 and 20 years, the Nigeria Customs Service NCSsaid it has commenced the process of clearance and release of over 300 containers of power sector equipment abandoned at the Nigerian ports over twenty years ago by contractors.
The exercise, which the NCS said includes the waiver of accumulated port charges and demurrage, was aimed at unlocking critical infrastructure projects and accelerating the Federal Government’s efforts to improve electricity generation, transmission and distribution across the country.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, who disclosed this in Lagos on Friday during a press briefing he convened alongside the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, for the flag-off of the release of the first batch of the equipment, said that the Service had commenced the immediate clearance of more than 300 containers of power equipment.
He added that the first batch of 44 containers would be released from ENL terminal, while an additional 54 consignments at other terminals, including Tin Can Island Port, would also be cleared.
He explained that the equipment, imported for critical government power projects, included hydropower platforms, cables, switchgear and other transmission infrastructure required by agencies such as the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) and Niger Delta Power Holding Company (NDPHC).
According to him, the equipment had remained at the ports for between 14 and 20 years, thereby delaying the execution of projects designed to strengthen Nigeria’s electricity infrastructure.
“Following a presentation by the Honourable Minister of Power to the Federal Executive Council, Mr President directed the immediate clearance of the equipment. He also directed that relevant agencies resolve all outstanding charges and administrative bottlenecks without delay.
“In line with that presidential directive, this service has commenced the immediate clearance of more than 200 containers of power equipment. Today, I am here with the Minister of Power to flag off the release of the first batch of containers from ENL terminal. Other containers at terminals in Tin Can and other ports will also be released in due course,” Adeniyi said.
He disclosed that the Service was working closely with the Ministry of Power, TCN, NDPHC, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and other stakeholders to ensure the speedy completion of the exercise.
The Customs boss said the service had introduced several trade facilitation measures to accelerate the process, including priority processing of the consignments, deployment of dedicated officers for joint examinations and implementation of approved waivers on accumulated charges
He also acknowledged the support of the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, as well as the Minister of Trade, Industry and Investment, for facilitating the waivers and securing the cooperation of terminal operators.
Adeniyi said the intervention was consistent with the Tinubu administration’s broader electricity sector reforms, which were designed to attract investment, expand power generation capacity and improve electricity supply to households, businesses and industries.
He recalled that the Electricity Act 2023 had opened up the electricity market to states, allowing them to generate, transmit and distribute electricity, while the Presidential Power Initiative with Siemens Energy was being implemented to expand the country’s transmission capacity.
He added that the Federal Government had also taken steps to settle verified legacy debts in the power sector, address the metering gap and extend off-grid electricity solutions to underserved communities, universities, markets, hospitals and port terminals.
“The direction is very clear: we generate more power and move it efficiently through the grid, and deliver it to homes, businesses and industries. Every agency of government has a role to play in achieving that goal.
“Over the years, it is important that critical power projects do not remain on course in our ports. These consignments include hydropower platforms, cables, switchgear, and other transmission equipment imported into Nigeria for the power sector and government agencies,” he said.
However, the Customs chief expressed concern over what he described as a disturbing pattern of contractors importing equipment for government projects but abandoning the consignments at the ports without completing the projects for which they were engaged.
He warned that such practices were undermining national development, denying Nigerians access to essential infrastructure, employment opportunities and improved public services.
According to him, contractors who collect payments for government projects but fail to execute them while abandoning imported equipment at the ports should be treated as economic saboteurs.
“This exercise that we are undertaking has exposed a troubling pattern. Some contractors awarded government projects import equipment and abandon them at the ports, failing to execute the projects for which the equipment was brought into the country.
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