Border Communities, Governance, and Development in Yobe State

This study examines the governance and development challenges facing border communities in Yobe State, located along Nigeria's frontier with the Republic of Niger in the North East geopolitical zone. Border communities in Nigeria face distinctive governance problems arising from their distance from state capitals, limited government presence, cross-border economic dependencies, and vulnerability to security threats including insurgent activity, arms trafficking, and irregular migration. Using a qualitative research design, the study draws on focus group discussions with community members and interviews with local government officials, security personnel, and traders in three border communities of Yobe State, drawing on the lived experiences of populations navigating governance gaps at the edge of state authority. The borderland governance theory and the political geography of margins framework are applied to analyse the distinct conditions of border community governance. Findings reveal that Yobe State's border communities are characterised by minimal state service provision, heavy dependence on cross-border trade networks that operate outside formal regulatory frameworks, and significant security vulnerabilities that have been exploited by Boko Haram for recruitment and logistics. The withdrawal of state services from border areas following security deterioration has deepened governance vacuums and increased community dependence on non-state actors for essential services. Recommendations include targeted border community development programmes, a dedicated border security-development coordination unit within the Yobe State government, and decentralised service delivery mechanisms that reach the most remote border populations. Keywords: border communities, governance, development, Yobe State, North East Nigeria