Freetown, 22nd October 2026- The Director General of the Sierra Leone Ports and Harbours Authority (SLPHA), Mr. Yankuba Askia Bio, has called for African ports to embrace Artificial Intelligence and strong cybersecurity to drive efficiency and protect trade.
Mr. Bio made the call while leading a high-level SLPHA delegation to the Conference of African Ports (COPAF 2026) held in Casablanca, Morocco, from October 19 to 21, on the theme: “African Smart Port: AI and Cybersecurity Driving Performance.”
Addressing port leaders from across the continent, Mr. Bio said efficient and secure ports are critical to Africa’s economic integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
“If these arteries are clogged by inefficiency or compromised by vulnerability, the entire body of African trade suffers,” he said.
He disclosed that SLPHA is shifting from reactive operations to predictive intelligence, using data and AI to anticipate challenges, improve turnaround time, and enhance service delivery.
Mr. Bio stressed that cybersecurity must now be treated with the same seriousness as physical port security, warning that a single breach could cripple operations and regional supply chains.
He urged African port authorities to deepen collaboration and share knowledge, experiences and best practices in deploying AI and cybersecurity systems.
The three-day conference ended with a joint call for collective African action against increasingly sophisticated cyber threats, with delegates agreeing that no single port or country can tackle the challenge alone.
The final resolution captured the shared ambition of participants: “The future of African trade is smart. The future of African trade is secure. And the future of African trade is in our hands.”
The SLPHA delegation included the Directors of Research, Planning and Development; Technical Services; and Internal Audit and Compliance.
