By Ettu Mohammed
The Root Cause: 2013-2014
The equipment did not just appear at the port. It was ordered under World Bank, JICA, AfDB, Eurobond and NIPP projects for TCN and NDPHC — transformers, cables, switchgear, turbines.
But it arrived without Form M, PAAR, SONCAP, and Import Duty Exemption Certificate (IDEC).
In 2013/2014, the Ministry of Finance suspended IDEC. Customs would not release without waiver. Terminal operators kept charging demurrage. After 90 days, containers became “overtime cargo.” After that, Customs could auction them — while shipping lines kept charging demurrage on the same containers.
That is how the trap was set.
May 2016: The first promise
Fashola announced President Buhari had ordered the release of 907 containers — the total at the ports at that time. He promised this would help TCN grow wheeling capacity to 20,000MW in 5 years.
That 20,000MW never happened. TCN wheeling capacity is still stuck around 7,000MW – 8,000MW today.
November 2016: We cleared them.
President Buhari approved funds. After 8 months of negotiation, terminal operators gave N2 billion in concessions.
Fashola took delivery of 218 containers at Duncan Terminal, Apapa – 77 from Duncan, the rest from other terminals. TCN said it was taking delivery of 330 in total.
He promised contractors would move to site immediately and complete projects like:
– Abeokuta-Igboora double transmission line
– 2x60MVA substation at Odogunyan
– 2x60MVA substation at Ayobo
– Benin North-Osogbo 330kV line
December 2017: We cleared them again
TCN announced it had cleared 454 containers from March to December 2017 alone. It said of 759 containers abandoned by contractors in the last 5 years, 454 cleared, payment made for 193 more, payment for 112 outstanding.
The 454 were sent to Yola, Gulak, Katsina, Jos, Dambatta, Ganmo, Abeokuta, Onitsha, Benin, Odogunyan, Ede, Igangan, Okene, Akwanga, Kachia, Kumbotso and Kaduna.
January 2017/January 2018: Two different totals
In January 2017, Fashola announced 500 containers recovered. He said TCN wheeling capacity had moved from 5,000MW to 7,125MW.
In January 2018, TCN MD Usman Mohammed said something different: 759 containers total, 550 cleared in the last one year, 159 still stranded at ports. Of those 159, only 45 were being processed. 112-113 were untouched.
So in the same year, government said 500 recovered and 550 cleared – but 159 were still there.
August 2018: We cleared them again
TCN announced 693 out of 800 containers recovered. Some had been there for 15 years. Some had already been auctioned by Customs. TCN had to trace auctioneers to buy them back.
There was no detail anywhere — no list of which containers, which projects, which states.
February 2019: We cleared them finally.
At a quarterly briefing in Abuja, TCN MD said: 775 recovered out of 800. 2 declared missing. 2 were empty.
He could not tell journalists what was inside the 2 missing containers, or their value.
October 2019: The final report changes the number again.
TCN’s Feb 2017 – Oct 2019 implementation report said it inherited about 800 stranded containers cleared and delivered 775 to project sites, most installed. Value: about $83 million.
A later version of the same story said
795 out of 819.
The total number of containers kept changing: 907 → 800 → 759 → 819. The cleared number kept changing: 218 → 330 → 454 → 500 → 550 → 693 → 775 → 795.
2020-2025: Silence
No more flag-offs. No more announcements. But the grid kept collapsing. The equipment that was “moved to site immediately” in 2016 did not stop the blackouts.
February-August 2026: NDPHC finds its own batch
NDPHC MD Jennifer Adighije announced she recovered 110 abandoned containers and 216 packages in her first 100 days — mostly turbine and Heat Recovery Steam Generator components at Onne Port, worth over $5 million, saving over N30 billion, unlocking about 470MW.
If TCN cleared everything in 2019, where did NDPHC’s 110 containers come from?
October 28, 2026: We found 300 more.
President Tinubu ordered the release of over 300 containers stranded for 14 to 20 years. Some held since 2014.
Minister of Power Joseph Tegbe said the situation was “appalling” and that many arrived without Form M, PAAR, SONCAP, and IDEC — the exact same excuse from 2014.
November 6, 2026: The new flag-off
Customs CG Adeniyi flagged off evacuation at Apapa. He said 98 containers released — 44 from ENL Terminal, 54 from APM Terminals and Sun & Moon / Tin Can.
He said Customs had commenced clearance of more than 200 containers. Finance Minister approved waivers. Marine Minister approved demurrage waiver. APM Terminals said it had already granted waivers exceeding N500 million, yet some containers remained uncollected.
Customs admitted: technical experts now need to inspect the equipment to see what is still serviceable and what is now obsolete after 20 years at the port.
The equipment is supposed to go to Kaduna, Akure, Lafia, and other transmission corridors.
So which one was the lie?
If we cleared 775 in 2019, where did 300 containers from 14-20 years ago come from in 2026?
If we cleared 907 in 2016, why did TCN still have 159 stranded in 2018, and 110 + 300 more in 2026?
The truth is simple: Nigeria never had a stranded power equipment problem. We had APC problem.
Power Ministry orders equipment.
Finance Ministry refuses waiver.
Customs auctions it.
Terminal charges demurrage.
Every APC president holds a flag-off ceremony to “recover” it.
12 years. Same containers. Same ceremony. Same grid but the lies of 20 years is floated each time.
Final answer
Power equipment were imported into Nigeria during the GEJ era. The APC government left it to rot at the sea port and now turn to blame those who imported same.
