The Director-General of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, has warned that the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in port operations could expose African economies to significant disruptions amid rising cyber threats targeting maritime infrastructure.
Dantsoho gave the warning at the recently concluded African Ports Conference in Casablanca, Morocco, according to a statement issued on Thursday.
He said cyberattacks targeting ports could disrupt cargo handling, delay shipments and interrupt international trade, potentially resulting in substantial economic losses for African countries increasingly relying on digital technologies.
The NPA chief called for stronger cybersecurity measures, improved regional intelligence sharing and the adoption of common digital standards across African ports to address emerging threats associated with digitalisation and AI.
Citing previous cyber incidents that disrupted port operations in other parts of the world, Dantsoho stressed that attacks on maritime infrastructure could have consequences far beyond information technology systems.
He referenced a cyberattack on South Africa’s Transnet in July 2021, which forced the company’s container terminals to declare force majeure. He also cited cyber incidents that disrupted operations at Japan’s Port of Nagoya in 2023 and DP World terminals across Australia.
According to him, such incidents demonstrate how cyberattacks can disrupt critical supply chains and undermine trade activities.
“These were not merely IT problems. They were interruptions to trade,” he said.
Dantsoho noted that although AI could improve efficiency and enable ports to operate more intelligently, adequate cybersecurity measures were essential to maintaining uninterrupted operations.
“AI can help a port work more intelligently, but cybersecurity protects its ability to work at all,” he added.
He emphasised the need for African port authorities to strengthen their digital infrastructure and collaborate in addressing cybersecurity threats as the continent expands its adoption of advanced technologies.
The warning comes amid growing reliance on digital systems for cargo movement, shipping documentation and other essential port operations, making cybersecurity a critical priority for the protection of maritime infrastructure and the sustainability of international trade.
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