Breakthrough AI-blockchain patent could safeguard Africa’s trade corridors – Olayinka

Across Africa, smart sensors are tracking cargo shipments, monitoring farm produce, and managing energy grids. From Lagos ports to rural agricultural cooperatives, the Internet of Things is transforming supply chains at breakneck speed. Yet beneath this technological leap lies a critical vulnerability: most IoT deployments prioritise speed over security, leaving essential infrastructure exposed to cyber attacks that could cripple food distribution, disrupt trade corridors, and compromise national security. A single breach could cascade from a temperature sensor on a truck to an entire port system, with consequences measured in billions of naira and countless disrupted livelihoods.

It is against this backdrop that Oluwakemi Temitope Olayinka, a Nigerian-born researcher specialising in AI and cybersecurity, is pioneering solutions to one of Africa’s most pressing infrastructure challenges.

Her patent, “AI-Driven Cybersecurity & Anomaly Detection Framework for IoT Supply Chains,” offers a comprehensive approach to detecting and mitigating cyber threats across distributed IoT networks in agriculture, energy, logistics, and healthcare. The innovation was recently spotlighted at the Nigeria Innovation Summit 2025, where Olayinka presented on building resilient agricultural supply chains through AI and IoT integration.

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Trained at the University of Arkansas and now contributing to global conversations on digital resilience, Olayinka discusses her research journey, the technical breakthroughs behind her patent, and actionable steps for Nigeria and other African nations to strengthen their digital supply chain infrastructure.

From vulnerability to innovation, Olayinka’s experience in supply chain and logistics opened her eyes to how vulnerable these systems really are. She witnessed firsthand how a single cyber incident could disrupt everything from farm shipments to port operations.

During her research, she studied IoT systems in agriculture, Energy, Supply Chain and logistics and realised that while everyone was rushing to deploy smart sensors and tracking devices, no one was adequately securing them.

“Africa is leapfrogging directly to IoT-enabled supply chains without the security infrastructure in place. That’s a recipe for disaster, especially when our food security and trade depend on these systems,” she explains.

A three-layer defence system, Olayinka’s patent combines AI, blockchain, and IoT security in a sophisticated framework. “Think of it as a three-layer defence system,” she says. The AI engine continuously learns normal behaviour patterns across IoT devices, things like temperature sensors on food shipments or GPS trackers on cargo. When something unusual happens, like unauthorised access or suspicious data changes, the AI flags it immediately.

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The cybersecurity module then responds automatically: isolating infected devices, rerouting traffic, or updating firewalls.

Meanwhile, blockchain creates an immutable record of everything, providing a tamper-proof audit trail. “Traditional systems wait for humans to notice problems. Mine detects and responds in real-time,” Olayinka notes.

Beyond agriculture: sector-agnostic protection. The framework is sector-agnostic and works anywhere IoT devices are deployed. Energy is a prime example. Oil and gas infrastructure increasingly relies on IoT sensors for pipeline monitoring, drilling operations, and distribution networks. A cyberattack on these systems could be catastrophic. The Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack in the U.S. disrupted fuel supplies across the East Coast, illustrating what’s at stake.

In Africa, where energy infrastructure is rapidly expanding, think smart grids, renewable energy systems, and solar microgrids; securing these IoT networks is critical. Beyond energy, healthcare supply chains managing vaccines and medical equipment, smart city infrastructure, and even water distribution

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