By Samuel Akpan
Nigerian Ports Authority boss Dr Abubakar Dantsoho has credited digital platforms for lifting the country’s cargo throughput by 24.8 percent in 2025 while urging African ports to build solid digital foundations before embracing artificial intelligence.
Speaking at the COPAF2026 conference in Casablanca, the NPA Managing Director and PMAWCA President highlighted the Eto truck call-up system, National Single Window and Port Community System as drivers of improved performance and strong World Bank rankings for Tin Can Island and Apapa ports.
He said:“African ports must first establish effective digital foundations before deploying artificial intelligence to boost operational efficiency, vessel planning, landside coordination, revenue assurance, security and predictive maintenance.”
According to Dantsoho, genuine smart ports should be judged by faster vessel turnaround times, shorter cargo dwell times, lower costs, reliable systems and proper revenue accounting rather than technology purchases alone.
The NPA chief also cited Nigeria’s one-billion-dollar Lagos ports modernisation programme as part of efforts to enhance infrastructure, efficiency and competitiveness at the conference themed, “Smart African Port: Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity for Performance.”
Dantsoho joined the Secretary-General of AGPAOC, the Director-General of the Port of Sierra Leone, the Director-General of CRF and other industry leaders to explore how artificial intelligence and cybersecurity can lift port performance across Africa.
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