Segun Showunmi, a leader within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), questioned why Nigeria's landlocked region acts as if lacking a seaport equates to lacking economic potential.

He pointed out that Switzerland, despite having no coastlines, has established world-class industries in pharmaceuticals, precision engineering, finance, manufacturing, and high-value services.

He also mentioned Australia, which has developed its manufacturing, logistics, tourism, and advanced service sectors by leveraging its integration into the vast European market.

"So why should a landlocked Nigerian zone behave as though the absence of a seaport means the absence of an economic future? The real question is not: Where is our sea? The question is: Where is our strategy?" Sowunmi said.

He stated that a serious leader must recognize that a landlocked economy needs intentional investment in roads, railways, dry ports, inland logistics, aviation, storage facilities, processing plants, digital infrastructure, power supply, and cross-border trade routes.

"You do not need a coastline to export. You need an efficient route to somebody else’s coastline," he said.

"If your zone cannot have a seaport, then build the most efficient inland production and distribution system possible. If your farmers cannot ship directly from the coast, process their commodities locally and move higher-value products through efficient corridors. If your manufacturers are far from the port, build industrial clusters around rail, road, and logistics infrastructure. If your people are far from international markets, make your cities centres of skills, services, technology, and enterprise.

"Geography tells you what you have to overcome. Leadership decides whether you overcome it.

"There is also a difficult conversation that the people of these regions must have with themselves.

"Development requires an investment-friendly culture. Investors need predictability, security, social stability, openness to enterprise, and a population that understands that economic activity is not an invasion. A hostile environment—whether created by insecurity, extortion, communal obstruction, excessive demands, political interference, or suspicion of legitimate business raises the cost of doing business and ultimately drives opportunity elsewhere."

Sowunmi suggested that Nigeria’s landlocked regions require a fresh development agreement, emphasising that they should stop expecting what the Federal Government will provide.

According to him, they need to focus on their governors, local government chairmen, traditional rulers and other institutions

He said, "Ask: What can our governors build? What can our local governments facilitate? What can our traditional institutions protect? What can our people produce? What infrastructure can connect us to the nearest port? What industries can turn our raw materials into finished goods? What behaviour must change to make investors want to stay?"

ASA