Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President and Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has promised to reopen Nigeria’s land borders and develop southern ports if elected president in 2027.
Atiku made the pledge on Wednesday in Abuja when a political support group visited him, arguing that prolonged restrictions on legitimate trans-border commerce had crippled businesses, worsened unemployment and pushed many young entrepreneurs into bankruptcy.
“How can there be security? So I said I’m going to reopen the borders,” Atiku said.
Atiku said the measure would revive cross-border trade, reduce transportation costs and unlock economic opportunities.
He stressed that Nigeria’s northern states share borders with Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Benin Republic, making cross-border trade critical to the livelihoods of millions of residents.
Atiku said his proposed border policy would focus on restoring legitimate trade while addressing security concerns, rather than shutting out communities whose economies depend heavily on commerce with neighbouring countries.
The ADC candidate also promised to overhaul Nigeria’s port infrastructure, particularly in the South-East and South-South, to create a more balanced system for the importation and distribution of goods.
“During the last campaign, I went across Europe to discuss with shippers and ship development companies: how can we together develop south and southeastern ports, so that there is balance as far as importation of goods and transportation of goods are concerned,” he said.
Atiku specifically mentioned Calabar, Uyo and Port Harcourt, saying the development of ports in the region would shorten delivery time and reduce the cost of transporting goods to the North-East.
He cited his experience as a factory owner in Adamawa, saying moving a container from Lagos to Yola could take as long as two months because of poor road infrastructure.
According to him, reopening the borders alongside investments in ports, roads and logistics infrastructure would stimulate businesses, improve the movement of goods and strengthen economic activities across the country.
