Former Vice-President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate for the 2027 election, Atiku Abubakar, has vowed to reopen Nigeria’s land borders with neighbouring countries and develop alternative seaports to reduce the country’s dependence on the Lagos ports.

Atiku made the pledge while hosting ADC members at his Asokoro residence in Abuja on Thursday, arguing that the closure of borders with Benin Republic, Niger, Chad and Cameroon had negatively affected legitimate cross-border businesses, particularly in northern Nigeria.

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The former vice president said many young Nigerians who previously engaged in transborder trade had lost their businesses and sources of livelihood following the closure of the borders.

“The Northern states bordering Cameroon, Chad, Niger and the Benin Republic. Then you closed all those borders. All our young men who are doing trading between these countries, what we call transborder trade. It is a legitimate business,” Atiku said.

Lamenting the economic impact of the policy, he added: “All the upcoming young men and women who used to have a capital of N10, 20 million, employing two, three people, all of them went bankrupt and unemployed. How can there be security? So, I said I’m going to reopen the borders.”

Atiku Promises Alternative Ports

Atiku also said his administration, if elected in 2027, would develop ports in other parts of the country to reduce pressure on the Lagos ports and make the transportation of imported goods to businesses in other regions more efficient.

He said he had previously engaged shippers and ship-development companies in Europe over the possibility of developing ports in the South and South-East.

“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.

According to Atiku, alternative ports in places such as Calabar, Uyo and Port Harcourt would significantly reduce the time and cost involved in transporting goods to northern parts of the country.

He gave the example of transporting a container from Lagos to Yola, saying the journey can take considerably longer because of the distance, road conditions and the need to move goods across several regions.

“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 reopening legitimate trade routes and improving port infrastructure would stimulate businesses, reduce logistics costs, create jobs and strengthen economic activities across the country.