- NPA warns cyberattacks could disrupt African ports, international trade and supply chains as maritime systems become more connected
- Nigeria’s port modernisation plan includes $1 billion for Apapa and Tin Can Island, alongside expanding digital platforms
- Dantsoho urges African ports to share cyber intelligence, adopt common data standards and strengthen staff training
Pascal Oparada is a journalist with Legit.ng, covering technology, energy, stocks, investment, and the economy for over a decade.
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has warned that rising cyberattacks on maritime infrastructure could disrupt cargo movement, threaten international trade and inflict significant economic losses on Nigeria and other African countries.
Managing Director of the NPA, Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, raised the concern at the African Ports Conference in Casablanca, Morocco, where he called for stronger cybersecurity measures, regional intelligence sharing and coordinated digital standards across African ports.
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Dantsoho, who also serves as President of the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA), warned that the increasing adoption of artificial intelligence and interconnected digital platforms could expose ports to serious security vulnerabilities.
He stressed that cyberattacks were no longer isolated technology problems but threats capable of paralysing maritime operations and disrupting international supply chains.
Cyberattacks threaten African trade
Highlighting the potential consequences, Dantsoho cited previous cyber incidents involving South Africa's Transnet, Japan's Port of Nagoya and DP World terminals in Australia.
He recalled that a July 2021 cyberattack forced Transnet's container terminals to declare force majeure, while separate incidents disrupted operations in Japan and Australia in 2023.
"These were not merely IT problems. They were interruptions to trade," he said.
According to him, African ports must strengthen their ability to withstand cyberattacks as digital systems increasingly connect shipping companies, Customs authorities, terminal operators and regulatory agencies.
He warned that platforms designed to simplify trade procedures could become major vulnerabilities without adequate safeguards.
"A single window must not become a single point of failure," Dantsoho cautioned.
NPA outlines five cybersecurity measures
The NPA chief identified five priorities for protecting Nigerian ports against emerging digital threats.
These include integrating cybersecurity into physical port security arrangements, separating operational systems from administrative networks, enforcing security standards among technology partners, testing recovery procedures and strengthening personnel training.
He emphasised that ports must maintain reliable backup systems and practical alternatives to sustain operations during cyber incidents.
"A recovery plan is not proven because it exists. It is proven because it works," he stated.
Nigeria advances $1bn port modernisation
Dantsoho disclosed that Nigeria was strengthening its maritime infrastructure through a $1 billion modernisation programme targeting Apapa and Tin Can Island ports.
He said the investment presented an opportunity to incorporate secure digital infrastructure and intelligent maintenance systems into port operations, according to a report by Leadership.
The NPA boss also highlighted progress in digital coordination through the National Single Window, the beta version of the Port Community System and the Eto electronic truck call-up platform.
According to him, Nigeria's cargo throughput increased by 24.8 per cent to 129.3 million metric tonnes in 2025.
He added that Tin Can Island and Apapa ports ranked tenth and twelfth, respectively, among the world's most improved ports in the World Bank's Container Port Performance Index 2025.
African ports urged to strengthen cooperation
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Dantsoho called for greater cooperation among African port authorities through cybersecurity intelligence sharing, common data standards and professional training, ThisDay reported.
He also proposed establishing a PMAWCA working group on artificial intelligence and data governance to strengthen regional digital resilience.
He maintained that technology investments must deliver measurable improvements in cargo clearance, operational efficiency, revenue protection and trade costs.
"The smart African port will not be imported. We will build it together," he declared.
NPA targets non-oil export growth
Legit.ng earlier reported that the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has outlined a series of measures aimed at removing the obstacles that have long hampered non-oil exports, with a focus on boosting foreign exchange inflows and connecting businesses across Nigeria to global markets.
NPA Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, disclosed at the NPA Special Day during the 21st Abuja International Trade Fair, organised by the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) under the theme "Resilient Trade, Taxation, and the Economy."
Source: Legit.ng