Nigerian Ports Authority's Dantsoho Advocates Cybersecurity Pact

Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and President of the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa (PMAWCA), urged for stronger regional cooperation among African ports to combat cyberattacks during the African Ports Conference in Casablanca, Morocco. He warned that inadequate digital security could disrupt trade, cargo movement, and economic activities across Africa.

Dantsoho emphasized the importance of establishing common cybersecurity standards, enhancing intelligence sharing, and developing resilient digital systems to safeguard critical maritime infrastructure. He referenced cyber incidents affecting South Africa’s Transnet, Japan’s Port of Nagoya, and DP World terminals in Australia, highlighting that these were not just IT issues but significant interruptions to trade.

He recommended integrating cybersecurity into port security arrangements and incorporating it into port infrastructure projects from the design phase. Dantsoho also noted the potential of artificial intelligence to improve port operations while cautioning against technology investments without clear objectives.