2027: Atiku Plans To Reopen Land Borders, Develop Southern Ports

Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has pledged to reopen Nigeria’s land borders if elected president.

The promise adds to broader policy position ahead of 2027 elections by Atiku to reverse some of the economic measures introduced in recent years, including the removal of fuel subsidy, which has generated controversy and debate.

Atiku made the commitment while addressing supporters in a video circulating online and shared by ADC chieftain, Dele Momodu, on Friday.

He argued that the closure and restrictions at Nigeria’s land borders had undermined transborder trade, destroyed businesses and contributed to unemployment, particularly among young people in border communities.

“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, many young Nigerians who had built businesses with millions of naira in capital and employed other people were pushed out of business following the border closures.

“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.

“So I said I am going to reopen the borders and I will,” he added.

Atiku said reopening the borders would help restore legitimate commercial activities while creating opportunities for young people who depend on cross-border trade for their livelihoods.

He also outlined plans to improve the movement of imported goods by developing ports in the southern and South-Eastern parts of the country.

The ADC candidate said he had previously engaged shippers and ship development companies in Europe on the possibility of developing ports in the South to create a more balanced system for the importation and distribution of goods.

“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.

Atiku maintained that better port infrastructure in the South would reduce the cost and time involved in moving goods to northern parts of the country, particularly the North-East.

He cited the transportation of containers from Lagos to Yola, Adamawa State, where he said he had a factory, as an example of the challenges businesses currently face.

“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.

He said his proposal reflected concerns over the high cost and prolonged movement of goods across the country, while stressing the need for balanced development of Nigeria’s transport and port infrastructure.

LEADERSHIP recalls that  Nigeria’s land borders were shut in August 2019 under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

The federal government at the time said the policy was intended to curb large-scale smuggling of rice, poultry products, petroleum products and other goods, as well as the movement of weapons and drugs. It also said the measure was designed to encourage domestic agricultural production.

In December 2020, Buhari ordered the reopening of four land borders — Seme in Lagos State, Illela in Sokoto State, Maigatari in Jigawa State and Mfun in Cross River State.

Under President Bola Tinubu, the federal government reopened the Tsamiya land border with the Benin Republic in Kebbi State and the Kamba corridor linking Nigeria with Niger Republic in February 2026.

The Nigeria Customs Service said the reopening would be accompanied by measures aimed at preventing smuggling and other illicit activities.

Despite the gradual reopening of some strategic border posts, restrictions and tighter controls remain in place at some other land borders.