The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, Atiku Abubakar, has promised to reopen Nigeria’s land borders if elected President, saying the move would revive transborder trade and create more economic opportunities for young Nigerians.
Atiku, a former Vice President, made the pledge while addressing supporters in a video circulating online and shared by ADC chieftain, Dele Momodu, on Friday.
He argued that restrictions on Nigeria’s land borders had hurt legitimate businesses operated by traders across neighbouring countries and contributed to unemployment.
Atiku said the Northern states shared borders with Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Benin Republic, making cross-border trade an important source of livelihood for many residents.
He said the closure of the borders had forced many young Nigerians who previously operated businesses with millions of naira in capital out of business.
“The Northern states is bordering Cameroon, Chad, Niger, Benin Republic. And you close all those borders,” he said.
According to him, transborder trade should be recognised as a legitimate business activity that supports livelihoods and provides employment.
“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 said reopening the borders would be one of the measures he would take if elected.
“So I said I am going to reopen the borders and I will,” he declared.
Atiku wants stronger southern ports
The ADC candidate also said Nigeria needed to improve its southern ports to make the movement of goods across the country faster and cheaper.
He said he had previously engaged shippers and ship development companies in Europe on ways to develop ports in the South-South and South-East.
According to him, improving ports in those regions would create a better balance in the handling and transportation of imported goods.
Atiku said the development of southern ports would also reduce the cost and time involved in moving goods to the northern parts of the country.
He used the transportation of containers from Lagos to Yola, Adamawa State, where he said he had a factory, as an example.
He said goods arriving through ports such as Calabar, Uyo or Port Harcourt could reach Yola much faster than goods transported from Lagos if the necessary infrastructure was put in place.
“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,” he said.
Atiku said improving the country’s transportation and port infrastructure would address some of the challenges faced by businesses involved in moving goods across the country.
Why Nigeria’s land borders were closed
Nigeria’s land borders were largely closed in August 2019 under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.
The Federal Government said the policy was aimed at curbing large-scale smuggling of rice, poultry products, petroleum products and other goods, as well as weapons and drugs.
The government also said the measure was intended to encourage domestic agricultural production.
In December 2020, Buhari ordered the reopening of four border posts, including Seme in Lagos State, Illela in Sokoto State, Maigatari in Jigawa State and Mfun in Cross River State.
Under President Bola Tinubu, the Tsamiya land border with Benin Republic in Kebbi State and the Kamba corridor linking Nigeria with Niger Republic were reopened in February 2026.
The Nigeria Customs Service said the reopening of the borders would be accompanied by measures to prevent smuggling and other illegal activities.
Although several border posts have been reopened gradually, some strategic land borders remain restricted or subject to tighter controls.
Atiku’s latest promise places border policy and the movement of goods among the economic issues likely to feature in the political debate ahead of the next presidential election.
