2027: After Subsidy Brouhaha, Atiku Vows to Reverse More Govt Policies
POLITICS DIGEST — Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has pledged to reopen Nigeria’s land borders and improve port infrastructure in the South if elected president in 2027.
Atiku made the pledge while addressing supporters in a video circulating online and shared by ADC chieftain Dele Momodu on Friday.
He said prolonged restrictions at Nigeria’s borders with neighbouring countries had adversely affected transborder trade, weakened small businesses and contributed to unemployment, particularly among young people.
Atiku noted that northern states share borders with Cameroon, Chad, Niger Republic and Benin Republic, making cross-border commerce an important component of the regional economy.
“The Northern states are bordering Cameroon, Chad, Niger and 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,” he said.
According to him, many young entrepreneurs who had invested millions of naira in businesses and employed other people were forced out of business following the border restrictions.
“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,” Atiku added.
The former vice president also promised to develop ports in southern Nigeria to create a more balanced and efficient system for the importation and distribution of goods across the country.
He said he had previously engaged European shippers and port development companies on possible partnerships to develop ports in the South and South-East.
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“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 said improved port infrastructure in the South would reduce the cost and time required to transport goods to the North-East.
Using Yola, Adamawa State, where he said he operates a factory, as an example, he argued that goods arriving through southern ports could reach the North-East more quickly if road infrastructure and logistics networks were improved.
“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,” he said.
Nigeria’s land borders were largely closed in August 2019 under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari as part of measures to curb smuggling and stimulate domestic production.
The Federal Government at the time cited the smuggling of rice, poultry products, petroleum products and other commodities, as well as the movement of illicit arms and drugs, among the concerns behind the policy.
In December 2020, the Buhari administration 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.
More recently, the administration of President Bola Tinubu 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 prevent smuggling and other forms of cross-border crime.
Although several strategic border posts have since been reopened, some crossings remain subject to restrictions and enhanced controls.
Atiku’s latest pledge places border reopening, regional trade and southern port development among the economic and security issues likely to feature prominently in the 2027 presidential campaign.
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