Nigeria has launched an operation to recover more than 300 containers of electricity-sector equipment that had been stranded at the country's ports for between 14 and 20 years.
The Nigeria Customs Service said, according to the state-owned Voice of Nigeria on November 7, that the first 44 containers had been cleared for release at the ENL Terminal in Lagos, following a presidential directive to evacuate the abandoned consignments.
The operation covers equipment originally procured for government-funded electricity projects, including materials intended to strengthen substations, expand transmission capacity and improve the delivery of power from generating plants to consumers.
Minister of Power Joseph Tegbe said 98 of the initial 300 containers had received approval for release. Technical experts will inspect the recovered equipment to determine whether it remains suitable for use.
Materials found to be in working condition are expected to be deployed to ongoing and critical power projects, while obsolete equipment will be disposed of appropriately.
Kaduna, Ajaokuta, Lokoja and Enugu are among the locations identified as potential beneficiaries of the recovered materials.
The government expects the operation to help address longstanding infrastructure gaps, improve electricity transmission and reduce pressure on existing substations.
The initiative also raises questions about project oversight and public procurement, as the prolonged abandonment of equipment had tied up public funds and delayed infrastructure works for years.
