The Director General of the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, Dr Abubakar Dantsoho has warned that the fast adoption of synthetic intelligence, AI, in port operations could trigger vital economic disruptions throughout Africa amid rising cyberattacks concentrating on maritime infrastructure.
Dantsoho gave the warning on the just lately concluded African Ports Conference in Casablanca, Morocco, in accordance with an announcement on Thursday.
Dantsoho stated cyberattacks on ports could disrupt cargo dealing with, delay shipments and interrupt commerce, exposing African economies to vital losses as port operators more and more embrace digital applied sciences.
He referred to as for stronger cybersecurity measures, regional intelligence sharing and customary digital requirements throughout African ports to mitigate rising threats related to digitalisation and AI adoption.
Citing earlier cyber incidents that disrupted port operations in different components of the world, the NPA chief confused that assaults on maritime infrastructure could have penalties past data know-how methods.
“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 added.
“AI can help a port work more intelligently, but cybersecurity protects its ability to work at all,” Dantsoho stated.
Dantsoho stated improved digital coordination and stronger cybersecurity safeguards can be important to defending port operations and sustaining commerce as African nations increase their adoption of superior applied sciences.
The warning comes amid rising reliance on digital methods to handle cargo motion, delivery documentation and different vital port actions, making cybersecurity an more and more vital part of maritime infrastructure safety.
