The managing director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, has warned of mounting cyber threats to port operations and called for stronger security measures, regional intelligence sharing and common digital standards across African ports. Speaking at the African Ports Conference in Casablanca, Morocco, Dantsoho cited cyber incidents at South Africa's Transnet, the Port of Nagoya in Japan and DP World terminals in Australia as examples of how attacks on digital infrastructure could disrupt port operations and international commerce. In July 2021, he noted, a cyberattack on Transnet forced South Africa's container terminals to declare force majeure, while in 2023 cyber incidents disrupted the Port of Nagoya and DP World terminals across Australia for days.
Dantsoho, who is also president of the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA), warned that cyberattacks on port infrastructure were no longer merely information technology problems but threats capable of interrupting trade, disrupting cargo movement and undermining the reliability of maritime supply chains. As African ports increasingly adopt digital technologies and artificial intelligence in their operations, cybersecurity must be treated as an integral part of maritime security to prevent significant economic disruptions, he said. The growing interconnection of port systems, government agencies, shipping companies, terminal operators and other service providers could create vulnerabilities if appropriate safeguards were not implemented.
Dantsoho outlined five principles for strengthening cybersecurity at Nigerian ports. These include integrating cyber protection into broader port security arrangements, separating operational technology from administrative networks, establishing security requirements for connected partners, testing recovery systems and training personnel to identify and report threats. Cybersecurity should be treated with the same seriousness as physical port security, with measures aligned with International Ship and Port Facility Security requirements and International Maritime Organization standards, he said. He cautioned against allowing digital platforms designed to simplify trade procedures to become single points of failure capable of disrupting entire port communities.
Beyond cybersecurity, Dantsoho said artificial intelligence could help African ports address longstanding operational challenges, including vessel waiting times, cargo delays, inefficient truck movements, revenue leakages and unexpected equipment failures. However, he cautioned port authorities against adopting technology without clearly defined objectives and measurable outcomes. The value of a smart port should be measured by improvements it delivers to port users and national economies rather than the volume of technology deployed, he said. Highlighting Nigeria's experience, Dantsoho said the country was laying foundations for more intelligent port operations through investments in digital coordination, infrastructure modernisation and improved traffic management.