By Mercy Aikoye
The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, has called for stronger regional cooperation among African ports to tackle cyberattacks, warning that weak digital security could disrupt trade, cargo movement and economic activities across the continent.
Dantsoho, who is also President of the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA), made the call at the African Ports Conference in Casablanca, Morocco, where he urged port authorities to prioritise cybersecurity as they embrace artificial intelligence (AI) and digital technologies.
He said African ports must establish common cybersecurity standards, strengthen intelligence sharing and develop resilient digital systems to prevent attacks from crippling critical maritime infrastructure.
Citing cyber incidents involving South Africa’s Transnet, Japan’s Port of Nagoya and DP World terminals in Australia, Dantsoho said the consequences of digital attacks extended beyond information technology to the disruption of international commerce.
“These were not merely IT problems. They were interruptions to trade,” he said.
The NPA boss warned that interconnected systems linking port authorities, shipping companies, terminal operators and government agencies could expose entire port communities to cyber risks if adequate safeguards were not implemented.
He stressed that digital platforms, including single-window systems designed to simplify trade procedures, must not become single points of failure.
“A single window must not become a single point of failure,” he said.
Dantsoho recommended integrating cybersecurity into port security arrangements, separating operational systems from administrative networks, enforcing security standards for technology partners, testing recovery procedures and training personnel to identify potential threats.
He also called for cybersecurity measures to be incorporated into port infrastructure projects from the design stage rather than introduced after deployment.
Beyond security, Dantsoho said artificial intelligence could help African ports reduce vessel waiting times, improve cargo handling, manage truck movements, detect revenue leakages and predict equipment failures.
However, he cautioned against technology-driven investments without clearly defined objectives, measurable outcomes and accountability.
“The objective is not to replace professional judgement, but to strengthen it,” he said.
Highlighting Nigeria’s experience, he said the NPA had deployed the electronic truck call-up system, Eto, while advancing digital coordination through the National Single Window and a beta version of the Port Community System.
He recalled that congestion at Lagos ports had previously contributed to cargo delays, with cargo dwell times reaching three weeks and truck traffic exceeding the capacity of the Apapa access road.
According to him, Nigeria’s port reforms are yielding encouraging results, with Tin Can Island Port and Apapa Port ranking 10th and 12th, respectively, among the world’s most improved ports in the World Bank’s Container Port Performance Index 2025, released in June 2026.
He added that Nigeria’s cargo throughput rose by 24.8 per cent to 129.3 million metric tonnes in 2025.
Dantsoho said the NPA’s $1 billion modernisation programme for Apapa and Tin Can Island ports offered an opportunity to embed secure digital infrastructure and intelligent maintenance systems into port operations.
At the regional level, he proposed four priorities for PMAWCA member ports: sharing cyber threat intelligence, harmonising data standards, benchmarking performance and strengthening collaboration with technology providers and development partners.
He also proposed a PMAWCA working group on artificial intelligence and data governance to address cybersecurity, digital resilience and responsible data management.
The NPA chief urged member ports to identify high-impact AI pilot projects with clear performance targets and accountable implementation teams, stressing that technology adoption should be driven by operational needs.
He further called for stronger data governance arrangements to protect African ports from excessive dependence on technology suppliers and ensure that port authorities retain control over how their data is accessed and used.
Dantsoho said regional cooperation was essential because disruptions along interconnected maritime routes and trade corridors could affect multiple countries, including landlocked nations that depend on seaports for international commerce.
“The smart African port will not be imported. We will build it together,” he said.
