Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, Atiku Abubakar, has promised to reopen Nigeria’s land borders and develop ports across the South and South-East if elected President in the 2027 general elections.
Atiku said the measures would revive legitimate cross-border trade, create jobs for young Nigerians and reduce the cost and time involved in transporting goods between different parts of the country.
The former Vice-President made the pledge while addressing supporters in a video shared on Friday by ADC chieftain, Dele Momodu.
He argued that restrictions on Nigeria’s land borders had severely affected transborder commerce, particularly in Northern states whose economies are closely linked to neighbouring countries.
Atiku noted that states in Northern Nigeria share borders with Cameroon, Chad, Niger Republic and Benin Republic, making cross-border trade an important source of livelihood for thousands of residents.
“The Northern states is bordering Cameroon, Chad, Niger, Benin Republic. And you close all those borders. All our young men who are doing trading between these countries, they carry goods across, they do this and that, all what we call transborder trade is a legitimate business,” Atiku said.
According to him, the restrictions had affected young entrepreneurs who previously operated businesses across the borders and employed other Nigerians.
He said many traders had lost their businesses and sources of income as a result of the restrictions, creating additional economic pressures in communities already struggling with unemployment.
“All the upcoming young men and women who used to have a capital of 10 million, 20 million, and they were employing two, three other people, and then all of them went bankrupt and unemployed. How can there be security?” he asked.
Atiku linked economic opportunities with security, arguing that unemployed young people in border communities would remain vulnerable if legitimate commercial activities were restricted without providing alternative livelihoods.
He said reopening the borders would therefore be part of his strategy for addressing unemployment, expanding economic opportunities and improving security.
“So I said I am going to reopen the borders and I will,” he declared.
The ADC presidential candidate also proposed a major expansion and development of ports in the South and South-East, saying the move would create a more balanced national transportation and importation system.
He said he had previously held discussions with shippers and ship development companies in Europe on ways to develop ports in the southern region and improve the movement of goods to other parts of Nigeria.
“During the last campaign, I went across to Europe to discuss with shippers and ship development companies how we can together develop South and South-Eastern ports so that there is balance as far as importation of goods and transportation of goods are concerned,” Atiku said.
He argued that expanding the capacity of ports in areas such as the South-East and South-South would reduce the distance goods have to travel after arriving in Nigeria.
According to him, this would help lower logistics costs for businesses operating in Northern Nigeria, particularly manufacturers and importers who currently rely heavily on ports in Lagos.
Atiku cited his factory in Yola, Adamawa State, to illustrate what he described as the logistical difficulties facing businesses that depend on imported goods.
He said transporting a container from Lagos to Yola could take weeks or even months because of the distance, poor road infrastructure and other transportation challenges.
“So when, if I drop my container in Calabar or in Uyo or in Port Harcourt, it will just take me 24 hours to take the container to Yola,” he said.
“But right now, it takes me not less than two months to take my container from Lagos because you have to cross over from South-West, you go to North-East, and then there is even no road,” he added.
The former Vice-President’s proposal comes against the backdrop of Nigeria’s controversial land-border closure under former President Muhammadu Buhari.
The Federal Government shut several land borders in 2019 as part of measures aimed at combating smuggling and encouraging domestic production.
The policy affected the movement of several categories of goods, including rice, poultry products and petroleum products, while the government also cited the need to tackle the movement of illicit goods, including weapons and drugs.
The border policy generated considerable debate, with businesses and traders complaining about its impact on legitimate commerce and the prices of imported goods.
Some strategic borders were subsequently reopened in December 2020, including the Seme border in Lagos State, Illela in Sokoto State, Maigatari in Jigawa State and Mfun in Cross River State.
The reopening, however, did not amount to a complete return to the pre-closure system, as the government retained various controls and restrictions on cross-border trade.
Under the current administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, further efforts have also been made to reopen strategic border corridors.
The Tsamiya border with Benin Republic in Kebbi State and the Kamba corridor linking Nigeria with Niger Republic were reopened in February 2026.
Despite these developments, several land borders remain subject to enhanced controls and restrictions.
Atiku’s proposal therefore represents a broader position that would seek to expand cross-border commerce while investing in transportation infrastructure to support the movement of goods.
The former Vice-President also linked port development to regional economic balance, suggesting that greater use of ports outside Lagos could reduce congestion and provide businesses with shorter routes to their destinations.
For Northern businesses, particularly those located far from Lagos, such infrastructure could potentially reduce transportation costs and improve the speed with which imported raw materials and finished goods reach their markets.
However, the proposal would also require substantial investment in port infrastructure, roads, rail connectivity, customs systems and border security to ensure that increased trade does not create new opportunities for smuggling and other forms of criminal activity.
Atiku’s comments come as political parties and presidential contenders intensify preparations for the 2027 elections, with economic hardship, unemployment, security and the cost of doing business expected to remain major campaign issues.
His focus on border trade and port development also places regional economic integration at the centre of his campaign message, particularly in relation to Northern communities that depend on commercial links with neighbouring countries.
West Trybe reports that Atiku’s proposed reopening of Nigeria’s land borders and development of southern ports would represent a significant shift in trade and transportation policy if implemented, with the potential to affect cross-border commerce, logistics costs, employment and the movement of goods between Nigeria’s regions.
