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At COPAF 2026: Dantsoho Makes Case For Digital Foundation Before AI In African Ports
By Prince Benson Davies
The Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, and President of the Port Management Association of West and Central Africa, PMAWCA, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, has attributed Nigeria’s improved port performance to deliberate digital reforms, including the Eto electronic truck call-up system, the National Single Window and the Port Community System.
Dantsoho disclosed this while speaking at the African Ports Conference, COPAF2026, held in Casablanca, Morocco, with the theme, “Smart African Port: Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity for Performance.”
According to him, the deployment of these homegrown digital platforms has significantly reduced traffic congestion, improved cargo evacuation and enhanced transparency in port operations, leading to a 24.8 percent growth in cargo throughput in 2025.
He noted that the impact of the reforms was also evident in Nigeria’s improved standing on the World Bank Container Port Performance Index, where Tin Can Island Port and Apapa Port recorded commendable rankings.
The NPA boss, however, cautioned African ports against rushing into Artificial Intelligence without first building a solid digital foundation. He said AI can only deliver value when basic digital systems for operational efficiency, vessel planning, landside coordination, revenue assurance, security and predictive maintenance are already in place and functional.
In his view, a truly smart port should not be judged by how much technology it acquires, but by tangible results such as faster vessel turnaround time, reduced cargo dwell time, lower cost of doing business, reliable service delivery and proper revenue accounting.
Dantsoho also highlighted Nigeria’s ongoing $1 billion Lagos ports modernisation programme as a critical part of efforts to upgrade infrastructure, boost efficiency and reposition Nigerian ports to be more competitive within the sub-region.
He spoke alongside the Secretary-General of the Association of African Ports Authorities, the Director-General of the Port of Sierra Leone, the Director-General of the Centre de Recherche et de Formation and other maritime leaders who deliberated on how African ports can leverage artificial intelligence and cybersecurity to drive performance and growth.
