Dantsoho Warns Cyberattacks Threaten African Ports, Calls For Stronger Digital Security

The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Abubakar Dantsoho, has warned that rising cyber threats pose significant risks to African ports and international trade, urging port authorities across the continent to strengthen digital security and enhance regional cooperation.

Dantsoho, who is also President of the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA), gave the warning while speaking at the ongoing African Ports Conference (COPAF 2026) in Casablanca, Morocco, on Tuesday.

He said cyberattacks could disrupt cargo movement, interrupt maritime operations and undermine supply chains, stressing that cybersecurity must become a priority as African ports increasingly adopt digital technologies to improve efficiency.

Citing previous cyber incidents involving South Africa’s Transnet in 2021, the Port of Nagoya in Japan and DP World terminals across Australia in 2023, Dantsoho noted that such attacks had demonstrated how digital vulnerabilities could translate into significant disruptions to trade.

According to him, African port authorities must move beyond treating cybersecurity as a purely technical issue and recognise it as a fundamental requirement for maintaining operational continuity and protecting maritime supply chains.

He advocated the sharing of cyber threat intelligence, the adoption of common data standards and the establishment of uniform security requirements for port operators and technology providers across the continent.

The NPA managing director also called for the separation of operational technology networks from administrative systems, regular testing of recovery mechanisms and continuous training of port personnel to identify and report cyber threats.

He warned that digital platforms designed to simplify trade processes, including national single-window systems, could become single points of failure if adequate safeguards were not implemented.

Dantsoho stressed the need for ports to maintain reliable data backups, regularly test recovery plans and establish alternative arrangements to sustain operations during digital disruptions.

He further urged port authorities to align their cybersecurity frameworks with relevant International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) requirements and International Maritime Organisation (IMO) standards.

NPA seeks regional cybersecurity cooperation

Dantsoho said African ports could not effectively address cybersecurity threats and operational inefficiencies in isolation, noting that maritime routes and cargo corridors linked port facilities across national borders.

He explained that disruptions at one port could affect vessel schedules and cargo movements at other destinations, particularly along the Abidjan-Lagos corridor and trade routes serving landlocked countries such as Niger, Chad and Mali.

To address these challenges, he proposed four priorities for regional cooperation: intelligence sharing on cyber threats, common data standards, benchmarking of port performance and training, as well as stronger engagement with technology providers and development partners.

He said such collaboration would support cybersecurity, interoperability, skills transfer and data sovereignty across African port systems.

Dantsoho also disclosed that the NPA had developed a port performance benchmarking framework in collaboration with the Port of Antwerp-Bruges and expressed the authority’s willingness to share its experience with other African ports.

He proposed the establishment of a PMAWCA working group on artificial intelligence (AI) and data governance, with cybersecurity and digital resilience forming part of its responsibilities.

The PMAWCA president also urged member ports to identify at least one high-impact AI pilot project, supported by baseline assessments, accountable implementation teams and measurable performance targets.

He said progress on the initiatives should be presented at the association’s next Annual Council meeting in Sipopo, Malabo.

$1bn port modernisation programme

Dantsoho disclosed that the NPA was implementing a $1 billion modernisation programme for Apapa and Tin Can Island ports, stressing that cybersecurity considerations must be incorporated into infrastructure projects from the design stage rather than introduced after deployment.

He noted that Nigeria’s seven ports had varying infrastructure capacities, cargo profiles and levels of digital development, making it necessary to adopt technology solutions suited to their individual operational requirements.

He also called for clear provisions on data ownership, access, sharing and protection in port concession agreements and technology contracts to prevent excessive dependence on individual service providers.

According to him, data sovereignty should enable African countries to benefit from technological innovation while retaining the ability to govern their data and develop local technical expertise.

Dantsoho said AI could help African ports reduce vessel waiting times, cargo delays, inefficient truck movements, revenue leakages and equipment failures.

He explained that AI-powered systems could improve vessel arrival forecasts, berth allocation and pilotage scheduling, while coordinating truck appointments with yard capacity and vessel schedules to ease congestion.

He added that the technology could help port authorities identify discrepancies between cargo declarations, actual cargo movements and applicable charges, improve cargo risk assessments and detect equipment deterioration before breakdowns disrupt operations.

However, he cautioned against deploying technology without clear objectives, measurable outcomes and accountable implementation teams, emphasising that digital innovation should strengthen professional judgement rather than replace it.

Digitalisation drives efficiency at Nigerian ports

The NPA managing director highlighted Nigeria’s ongoing port digitalisation initiatives, including the National Single Window and the beta version of the Port Community System, which are designed to improve information exchange among customs authorities, terminal operators, shipping lines and regulators.

He also cited the Eto electronic truck call-up system as part of efforts to manage truck movements and reduce congestion around Lagos ports.

Dantsoho recalled that cargo previously remained at Lagos ports for as long as three weeks, while the Apapa access road, originally designed to accommodate approximately 2,400 trucks daily, was handling more than 7,000 trucks.

He said the experience underscored the importance of coordinating port infrastructure, road access and digital systems to address congestion, rather than relying on isolated interventions.

According to him, Nigeria’s port performance has recorded improvements, 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 further disclosed that Nigeria’s cargo throughput increased by 24.8 per cent to 129.3 million metric tonnes in 2025.

Dantsoho maintained that stronger regional cooperation, effective cybersecurity measures and responsible adoption of emerging technologies would be essential to improving port reliability, reducing trade costs and strengthening Africa’s position in global maritime commerce.