The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has commenced the evacuation of 98 containers of power equipment stranded at the Apapa and Tin-Can ports, following waivers on accumulated charges.
Adewale Adeniyi, the comptroller-general of customs, announced the development on Friday during the flag-off of the exercise in Lagos.
Adeniyi said Taiwo Oyedele, the minister of finance, approved the waivers to facilitate the release of the equipment, some of which had remained uncleared at the ports for between 14 and 20 years.
He said the first 44 containers are being released from ENL terminal, while another 54 containers at APMT and Sun & Moon terminals will also be evacuated.
The consignments comprise high-capacity transformers, cables, switchgear and other 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).
“In line with that presidential directive, this service has commenced the immediate clearance of more than 200 containers of power equipment,” Adeniyi said.
The customs chief said the service has introduced priority processing, dedicated officers for joint examinations and the application of approved waivers to speed up the exercise.
He said the NCS is working with the federal ministry of power, the TCN, NDPHC, the Nigerian Ports Authority and other maritime stakeholders to complete the evacuation.
Adeniyi said technical experts would inspect the equipment after its release to establish its condition and determine which items could be deployed to ongoing and uncompleted projects.
“The equipment will be deployed to ongoing and uncompleted projects, including transmission corridors and substations across the country, while obsolete items will be disposed of in accordance with experts’ recommendations,” he said.
Speaking at the event, Joseph Tegbe, minister of power, said the equipment was procured for projects intended to expand Nigeria’s transmission network, ease pressure on substations and improve electricity delivery.
He said the prolonged stay of the consignments at the ports had prevented the equipment from being deployed to projects for which they were acquired.
According to the minister, existing substations have continued to carry loads that new facilities are expected to share, putting additional pressure on the electricity network.
“The consequences have been very conspicuous. First, essential equipment remained unaccounted for. Secondly, existing substations continue to carry loads that new facilities were intended to share, placing pressure on the system and limiting operational flexibility and efficiency,” he said.
Tegbe said engineers would verify the inventory, assess the condition of the equipment and conduct the necessary tests after evacuation.
Where repairs or other interventions are required, he said, the ministry would undertake them before deployment.
“Some of the equipment is fairly new. Some are being deployed to Kaduna, Lafia, Kwale and many other locations,” the minister said.
He added that the deployment would provide usable capacity at affected locations and improve flexibility in the power sector.
The latest development comes after the minister directed the TCN, the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) and electricity distribution companies (DisCos) to address operational challenges responsible for the recent decline in power generation, as Nigerians and businesses continue to feel the impact of serious power cuts and loadshedding.