The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, Atiku Abubakar, has promised to reopen Nigeria’s land borders and improve port infrastructure in the southern part of the country if elected president in 2027.
Atiku made the pledge while speaking to supporters in a video shared online by an ADC chieftain, Dele Momodu, on Friday.
The former Vice President argued that restrictions on land borders had disrupted legitimate cross-border businesses and contributed to unemployment, particularly among young Nigerians.
He said Nigeria shares borders with Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Benin Republic, making cross-border trade an important source of livelihood for many communities.
“The Northern states is bordering Cameroon, Chad, Niger, Benin Republic. And you close all those borders,” Atiku said.
According to him, many young traders who previously operated businesses with significant capital were forced out of business after the borders were shut.
“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,” he said.
Atiku linked the loss of livelihoods to the country’s security challenges, asking, “How can there be security?”
He subsequently reiterated his commitment to reopening the borders, saying, “So I said I am going to reopen the borders and I will.”
The ADC candidate also proposed developing ports in the South and South-East to improve the distribution of imported goods across the country.
He said he had previously held discussions with shipping and port development companies in Europe about improving port facilities 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,” he said.
Atiku said stronger port infrastructure in the South would create a more balanced system for importing and distributing goods while reducing the cost and time involved in transporting cargo to northern parts of the country.
Using Yola, Adamawa State, as an example, he said moving a container from a southern port could become significantly faster if the necessary infrastructure was developed.
He said, “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 contrasted this with the current situation, saying, “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.”
Nigeria’s land borders were largely closed in August 2019 under former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration as part of measures to combat smuggling and encourage domestic production.
The Federal Government later ordered the reopening of four major borders in December 2020, including Seme in Lagos, Illela in Sokoto, Maigatari in Jigawa and Mfun in Cross River.
More recently, the Tinubu administration reopened the Tsamiya border with Benin Republic in Kebbi State and the Kamba corridor linking Nigeria with Niger Republic in February 2026.
The Nigeria Customs Service said the reopening of the corridors would be accompanied by measures to check smuggling and other illegal activities.
Despite the gradual reopening of some border posts, restrictions remain in place at some locations.
