The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, Abubakar Dantsoho, has warned that growing cyberattacks could disrupt port operations, international trade and economic stability across Africa, urging port authorities to strengthen cybersecurity and share intelligence.
Mr Dantsoho, who is also president of the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa, PMAWCA, said the increasing adoption of digital technologies and artificial intelligence, AI, in port operations could expose countries to significant economic disruptions if adequate safeguards were not put in place.
He spoke at the African Ports Conference in Casablanca, Morocco, on Tuesday, where he called for common digital standards, stronger regional cooperation and improved cybersecurity measures across African ports.
He said cyberattacks on port infrastructure had moved beyond information technology concerns to become threats capable of interrupting trade, delaying cargo movement and undermining the reliability of maritime supply chains.
Citing incidents involving South Africa’s Transnet, Japan’s Port of Nagoya and DP World terminals in Australia, Mr Dantsoho said attacks on digital infrastructure could paralyse critical operations and disrupt international commerce.
“In July 2021, a cyberattack on Transnet forced South Africa’s container terminals to declare force majeure. In 2023, cyber incidents disrupted the Port of Nagoya and DP World terminals across Australia for days. These were not merely IT problems. They were interruptions to trade,” he said.
The NPA boss said the digital transformation of African ports must be accompanied by measures to protect operational systems, cargo information, revenue collection and data exchange among port stakeholders.
He noted that although AI could improve efficiency and decision-making, cybersecurity remained essential to keeping ports operational during attempts to compromise their systems.
“AI can help a port work more intelligently, but cybersecurity protects its ability to work at all,” he said.
Mr Dantsoho, who is also vice-president of the International Association of Ports and Harbors, IAPH, African region, warned that the growing interconnection of port systems, government agencies, shipping companies, terminal operators and other service providers could create vulnerabilities without adequate safeguards.
He cautioned that digital platforms designed to simplify trade procedures must not become single points of failure capable of disrupting entire port communities.
“A single window must not become a single point of failure,” he said.
Nigeria has advanced its port digitalisation efforts through the National Single Window and a beta version of the Port Community System, initiatives designed to improve coordination among Customs, terminal operators, shipping lines and regulatory agencies.
However, Mr Dantsoho said the success of such platforms would depend on the ability of port authorities and their partners to protect them against cyber threats while ensuring that essential operations could continue during disruptions.
He outlined measures for strengthening cybersecurity at Nigerian ports, including integrating cyber protection into port security arrangements, separating operational technology from administrative networks, enforcing security standards for connected partners, testing recovery systems and training personnel to identify and report threats.
He said cybersecurity should be treated with the same seriousness as physical port security and aligned with relevant International Ship and Port Facility Security, ISPS, requirements and International Maritime Organization, IMO, standards.
“Treat cybersecurity as part of port security, alongside physical security and relevant ISPS and IMO requirements,” he said.
He also urged port authorities to establish clear separation between operational systems and administrative networks to prevent attacks on one system from spreading to critical infrastructure.
According to him, terminal operators, technology providers and other connected partners should be required to comply with agreed cybersecurity standards.
He said ports must maintain tested backups, rehearse recovery procedures and establish alternatives for sustaining operations when digital systems fail.
