The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, has warned that rising cyberattacks on port infrastructure could disrupt international trade, cripple cargo operations and undermine economic stability across Africa.
Dantsoho, who is also President of the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA) and Vice President of the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) African Region, said African ports must strengthen cybersecurity, share threat intelligence and adopt common digital standards as they accelerate the use of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies.
He spoke at the African Ports Conference in Casablanca, Morocco, on Tuesday.
The NPA boss said cyber threats should no longer be treated as conventional information technology problems, stressing that attacks on port systems could interrupt cargo movement, affect revenue collection and compromise maritime supply chains.
He cited cyber incidents involving South Africa’s Transnet, Japan’s Port of Nagoya and DP World terminals in Australia as evidence of the potential consequences.
“In July 2021, a cyberattack on Transnet forced South Africa’s container terminals to declare force majeure. In 2023, cyber incidents disrupted the Port of Nagoya and DP World terminals across Australia for days. These were not merely IT problems.
They were interruptions to trade,” he said.
Dantsoho said the rapid digitalisation of African ports must therefore be matched by adequate safeguards for operational systems, cargo information, revenue platforms and data exchanged among port stakeholders.
“AI can help a port work more intelligently, but cybersecurity protects its ability to work at all,” he said.
He warned that the growing interconnection of port authorities, government agencies, shipping companies, terminal operators and technology providers could create vulnerabilities if adequate safeguards were not established.
According to him, digital platforms designed to simplify trade procedures must not become single points of failure capable of bringing entire port communities to a standstill.
“A single window must not become a single point of failure,” he said.
Nigeria has intensified its port digitalisation programme through the National Single Window and a beta version of the Port Community System, aimed at improving coordination among Customs, terminal operators, shipping lines and regulatory agencies.
Dantsoho, however, said the success of such platforms would depend on their resilience against cyberattacks and the ability of port authorities to maintain essential operations when digital systems are compromised.
He outlined five key measures for strengthening cybersecurity at Nigerian ports: integrating cyber protection into overall port security arrangements; separating operational technology from administrative networks; imposing security requirements on connected partners; testing backup and recovery systems; and training personnel to identify and report threats.
He said cybersecurity should receive the same level of attention as physical security and be aligned with relevant International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) and International Maritime Organization (IMO) requirements.
“Treat cybersecurity as part of port security, alongside physical security and relevant ISPS and IMO requirements,” he said.
Dantsoho also urged port authorities to ensure that terminal operators, technology companies and other connected partners comply with agreed cybersecurity standards.
He stressed the need for tested recovery plans, saying ports must be able to maintain critical operations when digital platforms fail.
“A recovery plan is not proven because it exists. It is proven because it works,” he said.
The NPA chief identified human capacity as another critical component of cyber resilience, urging port workers to develop the skills required to detect suspicious activities, report threats and respond effectively to incidents.
He said digital transformation should not be measured by the amount of technology acquired but by the improvements it delivers to port users and national economies.
“A smart African port is not defined by how much technology it buys. It is defined by the performance it delivers,” he said.
Dantsoho identified vessel waiting times, cargo delays, inefficient truck movements, revenue leakages and unexpected equipment failures as areas where artificial intelligence could improve port performance.
He said AI could support vessel arrival forecasts, berth planning and pilotage scheduling, thereby reducing uncertainty and waiting times.
The technology could also integrate truck appointments with yard capacity and vessel schedules, enabling port gates, storage yards and quays to operate as a coordinated system.
On revenue assurance, he said AI could compare cargo declarations with actual cargo movements and applicable charges to identify inconsistencies for further investigation without unnecessarily delaying legitimate trade.
He added that AI could assist with cargo-risk assessments, identify unusual vessel behaviour and enable predictive maintenance by detecting equipment deterioration before failures occur.
However, he cautioned against adopting technology without clearly defined objectives and measurable outcomes.
“But every project needs discipline: a defined problem, a measurable target and an accountable owner,” he said.
“Prove the application before expanding it. And bring our people with us—pilots, engineers, crane operators, planners and revenue officers, with unions and operators engaged.
“The objective is not to replace professional judgement, but to strengthen it.”
Nigeria’s digital port reforms
Highlighting Nigeria’s experience, Dantsoho said the country was building the foundation for smarter port operations through digital coordination, infrastructure modernisation and improved traffic management.
He said the NPA oversees seven ports across Nigeria, each with different infrastructure, cargo profiles and levels of digital maturity, making it necessary to tailor solutions to individual operational realities.
Dantsoho recalled that cargo previously remained at Lagos ports for as long as three weeks, while the Apapa access road, designed to accommodate about 2,400 trucks daily, was carrying more than 7,000 trucks.
He said the resulting congestion increased delays, undermined reliability and diverted trade, forcing the NPA to address basic operational challenges before moving to more advanced technologies.
“The Eto electronic truck call-up system helped address corridor gridlock.
This year, we went live with the National Single Window and a beta version of the Port Community System, advancing digital coordination among Customs, terminals, shipping lines and regulators,” he said.
According to Dantsoho, the reforms are already yielding 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 country still had significant work to do but maintained that Nigeria’s experience demonstrated the importance of establishing reliable digital foundations before deploying AI at scale.
“Our work is not complete. But the lesson is clear: digitalisation creates the information base; AI helps turn information into better decisions. We must build in that order,” he said.
The NPA is also implementing a $1 billion modernisation programme for Apapa and Tin Can Island ports, which Dantsoho said provided an opportunity to integrate intelligent maintenance systems and secure digital infrastructure into the redevelopment programme.
He stressed that cybersecurity should be incorporated at the design stage of infrastructure projects rather than added after systems had been deployed.
Dantsoho seeks regional cyber cooperation
Dantsoho said African ports could not effectively address cybersecurity threats and operational challenges through isolated national efforts because shipping routes, cargo corridors and port operations were interconnected.
He noted that disruption at one port could affect other ports and inland destinations along major regional trade corridors.
“Along the Abidjan–Lagos corridor, a delayed vessel can affect its next call. Cargo destined for Niger, Chad or Mali depends on effective links between ports, corridors and borders.
“If we modernise in isolation, we risk replacing paper-based fragmentation with digital fragmentation,” he said.
As PMAWCA president, Dantsoho proposed four priorities for strengthening cooperation among member ports.
They include sharing cyber threat intelligence through designated contacts and timely alerts; developing common data standards to improve interoperability; benchmarking port performance and strengthening professional training; and deeper engagement with technology suppliers and development partners.
He disclosed that the NPA had developed a port performance benchmarking framework in collaboration with the Port of Antwerp-Bruges and said the authority was willing to share the experience with other African ports.
Dantsoho also proposed a PMAWCA working group on artificial intelligence and data governance, with cybersecurity and digital resilience incorporated into its responsibilities.
He urged each member port to identify one high-impact AI pilot backed by a baseline assessment, an accountable implementation team and measurable performance targets.
“I invite each member port to identify one high-impact AI pilot, with a baseline, an accountable team and a measurable target. Start with the problem—not the product,” he said.
He said progress on the initiatives should be reported at PMAWCA’s next Annual Council in Sipopo, Malabo, while assuring member ports that the NPA would share both its successes and challenges in Nigeria’s digital transformation.
Data sovereignty, trust
Dantsoho further warned that the deployment of AI and interconnected digital platforms required clear rules on the ownership, access, sharing and protection of port data.
He said port authorities must establish clear data-management responsibilities under concession agreements and ensure technology contracts promote interoperability rather than create excessive dependence on individual suppliers.
“Data sovereignty does not mean isolation. It means benefiting from innovation while retaining the capacity to govern its use,” he said.
He also identified trust as essential to information sharing among port authorities, regulators, terminal operators and other stakeholders.
“Without trust, institutions will not share information. Without shared information, the smart port remains an incomplete promise,” he said.
Dantsoho said the ultimate goal of port digitalisation should be to improve operational reliability, reduce the cost of trade, strengthen security and ensure that technology investments deliver measurable economic benefits.
“The smart African port will not be judged by its dashboards.
“It will be judged by reliable vessel calls, shorter cargo dwell times, lower costs, secure systems and revenue properly accounted for.
“AI should help us anticipate and decide.
Cybersecurity should help us protect and endure. Cooperation should help us advance together.
Leadership must turn all three into results,” he said.
He urged African port authorities to work collectively to build facilities that are not only more digital but also more resilient, dependable and secure.
“The smart African port will not be imported. We will build it together,” Dantsoho said.
*Making African Ports Smarter:*
L-R: Secretary General Port Management Association of West & Central Africa (PMAWCA)
Mr Jean Marie Koffi ,DG, Sierra Leone Ports ,Dr Yankuba Askia Biu
President of PMAWCA/ MD, NPA
Dr Abubakar Dantsoho and Dr William Odah DG, Centre de Recherche et de Formation CRF
At the ongoing African Ports Conference (COPAF 2026) in Casablanca Morocco.