Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has pledged to reopen Nigeria’s land borders and expand port infrastructure in the South and South-East if elected president in 2027.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate made the pledge in a video shared online on Friday by ADC chieftain Dele Momodu, linking the proposals to his plan to ease the movement of goods, revive cross-border trade and reduce the cost of transporting goods across the country.
Key Highlights
Atiku Abubakar says he will reopen Nigeria’s land borders if elected president in 2027.
He says the 2019 border closure destroyed legitimate transborder trade and left many young traders unemployed.
The ADC candidate proposes developing ports in the South and South-East to improve the movement of goods.
Atiku says improved southern ports could reduce the time and cost of transporting goods to northern Nigeria.
He argues that balanced port development would support economic activity and strengthen national security.
Atiku: Border Closure Destroyed Transborder Trade
Speaking on the impact of the 2019 border closure, Atiku said the policy severely affected legitimate trade between Nigeria and its northern neighbours, including Cameroon, Chad, Niger Republic and Benin Republic.
He said many young Nigerians who depended on cross-border commerce lost their businesses and sources of income after the borders were closed.
“The Northern states are bordering Cameroon, Chad, Niger and 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, some traders who had built businesses with capital running into millions of naira were forced into bankruptcy, leaving them and their employees without jobs.
“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 then declared that he would reopen the country’s land borders if elected.
“So I said I am going to reopen the borders and I will,” he said.
Atiku Plans Southern Port Expansion
The former vice-president also promised to expand port infrastructure in the South and South-East to create a more balanced system for the importation and transportation of goods.
Atiku said he had previously held discussions with European shippers and port development companies about developing ports in the region.
“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,” he said.
He argued that greater use of ports outside Lagos would reduce the pressure on the existing transportation network and make it easier to move goods to different parts of the country.
Atiku Cites Cost of Moving Goods From Lagos to Yola
Atiku used his business experience in Yola, Adamawa State, to illustrate the challenges created by the concentration of major port activities around Lagos.
He said his factory in Yola depends on containers shipped through Lagos and that transporting the goods from Lagos to the North-East can take weeks because of poor road infrastructure and the long distance involved.
“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.
“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,” Atiku said.
The ADC candidate said his proposals were based on longstanding concerns about the high cost of moving goods across Nigeria and the need to develop infrastructure that supports businesses outside the country’s major commercial centres.
Nigeria’s Land Border Policy
Nigeria’s land border policy has changed several times since the Federal Government shut its land borders in 2019.
The administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari had justified the closure as a measure to tackle smuggling and encourage domestic production, particularly in agriculture.
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The policy affected the movement of goods through Nigeria’s land borders with neighbouring countries.
Four major border posts, including Seme in Lagos State, Illela in Sokoto State, Maigatari in Jigawa State and Mfun in Cross River State, were reopened in December 2020.
The administration of President Bola Tinubu subsequently reopened the Tsamiya and Kamba border corridors linking Kebbi State with Niger Republic in February 2026, while the Nigeria Customs Service pledged stronger measures against smuggling.
However, several border posts remain restricted or subject to tight controls.
Atiku’s latest proposal places border reopening and southern port development at the centre of his economic argument ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
The former vice-president is expected to face other major contenders as political parties intensify preparations for the 2027 elections.
