NPA chief warns cyberattacks could disrupt African ports as AI spreads

Di head of di Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, don warn say African ports fit suffer serious economic damage from cyberattacks as dem dey rely more on digital tools and artificial intelligence (AI).

Dantsoho, wey also lead di Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA), talk for di African Ports Conference for Casablanca, Morocco, on Tuesday. Dem make im comments public for one statement on Wednesday.

He talk say attack on port systems no be just computer problem again. E fit stop cargo from moving, cut into trade and make shipping schedules no dey reliable.

He point to past incidents for oda places. One 2021 cyberattack on South Africa's Transnet force di country container terminals to declare force majeure, one legal step wey dey free parties from contractual obligations. For 2023, cyber incidents disrupt Japan's Port of Nagoya and DP World terminals for Australia for days.

"These were not merely IT problems. They were interruptions to trade," Dantsoho talk.

For ordinary Nigerians, port disruptions fit mean delayed goods, higher costs for importers and knock-on effects on prices. Ports dey handle much of di country imports, from food and medicine to machinery and fuel products.

Wetin Nigeria dey do

Dantsoho talk say Nigeria don dey digitise im ports. According to am, di NPA go live dis year with di National Single Window and one test version of di Port Community System. Both dey meant to help di Nigeria Customs Service, terminal operators, shipping lines and regulators work from di same information.

But he caution say such platforms must not become one single weak link. "A single window must not become a single point of failure," he talk.

He set out five steps for stronger protection: treat cyber security as part of port security, keep operational systems separate from office networks, require connected partners to meet agreed security standards, test recovery plans in practice, and train staff to spot and report threats.

He stress say written plan alone no prove anything. "A recovery plan is not proven because it exists. It is proven because it works," he talk.

On AI, Dantsoho talk say di technology fit help ports cut vessel waiting times, plan berths better, coordinate truck movement and spot revenue gaps. But he talk say dem suppose judge im value by results, not by how much technology port buy.

He also recall say cargo once sit for Lagos ports for up to three weeks, while di Apapa access road wey dem build for about 2,400 trucks a day carry more than 7,000. He credit di Eto electronic truck call-up system with easing that gridlock.

He talk say Nigeria performance for di World Bank's Container Port Performance Index 2025 dey encouraging, citing Tin Can Island Port and Apapa Port.

Wetin go happen next

Dantsoho call for shared intelligence and common digital standards across African ports na proposal, not yet policy. Whether regional port authorities go adopt joint rules go depend on further talks among members of PMAWCA and other bodies.