Ports Gridlock: FG Orders Immediate Clearing of Decades-Old Power Equipment Stranded at Seaports

​LAGOS — In a decisive move to dismantle bureaucratic bottlenecks and revamp critical national infrastructure, the Federal Government has ordered the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and seaport terminal operators nationwide to immediately clear all long-abandoned cargo choking the nation’s gateway terminals.

​The presidential directive places immediate priority on the rapid evacuation of hundreds of containers laden with critical power sector equipment—vital infrastructure components that have languished inside port terminals for nearly two decades due to administrative red tape and multi-agency friction.

​A Multi-Agency Coalition for Infrastructure Recovery

​Speaking through a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Bolaji Akinola, the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, emphasized that executing the presidential directive demands absolute synergy among key state actors.

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​The Minister has formally instructed the NPA and terminal operators to forge an ironclad operational alliance with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Federal Ministry of Power. This collaborative framework is designed to fast-track the release, clearance, and seamless transportation of the stranded electricity equipment directly to designated power project sites across the country.

​“The successful implementation of Mr. President’s directive rests on active, unhindered coordination among all port stakeholders and regulatory agencies,” Oyetola stated. “We cannot afford to let critical national development priorities be held hostage by bureaucratic inertia.”

​Tackling Port Congestion and Dwell Times

​Maritime industry stakeholders have long decried the compounding effects of abandoned cargo on terminal efficiency. Extended cargo dwell times not only drive up demurrage costs and occupy vital stacking space but also severely congest major trade gateways like the Lagos Port Complex (Apapa and Tin Can Island) and the Port Harcourt/Onne port corridors.

​Oyetola reaffirmed the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy’s unwavering commitment to optimizing port operations. He noted that clearing out legacy blockages is part of a broader, systemic reform agenda aimed at transforming Nigerian ports into globally competitive trade hubs that actively support, rather than impede, national economic growth.

​By cutting through the administrative red tape that has stalled these power installations for close to twenty years, the Federal Government expects an immediate boost not only to maritime throughput but crucially to the ongoing stabilization and expansion of Nigeria’s national power grid.