Lagos – June 24, 2025 – Nigeria’s internet infrastructure is grappling with a long-standing challenge known as the “border problem,” where local internet traffic is often routed through foreign countries before reaching its destination—even when both sender and receiver are within Nigeria. This inefficiency leads to higher data costs, slower speeds, and security vulnerabilities.
In response, the Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN) has announced a strategic plan to fully localize internet traffic within the country by 2030. The goal is to ensure that all domestic internet exchanges happen on Nigerian soil, boosting data sovereignty, reducing latency, and enhancing national digital resilience.
The Chief Executive Officer of IXPN, Rudolf Okonkwo, revealed that over 70% of Nigeria’s internet traffic still exits the country and returns via international pathways, primarily due to the absence of interconnectivity between key network operators and service providers within the country.
“Imagine sending a letter to your neighbor, but it travels through London or New York before arriving at their door. That’s what’s happening to our internet,” Okonkwo said at a stakeholder engagement session in Lagos. “We want to fix that by 2030 through aggressive peering, infrastructure development, and national policy alignment.”
The IXPN, established in 2006, currently operates as Nigeria’s primary neutral internet exchange point, connecting internet service providers (ISPs), content delivery networks (CDNs), and mobile operators. But despite growth in its ecosystem, many ISPs and digital platforms still fail to connect directly to the IXPN, forcing local data to travel internationally.
Why This Matters
Latency: When local traffic is routed abroad, users experience slower load times and disruptions during peak hours.
Costs: Transit through foreign networks incurs higher bandwidth charges for ISPs, which are ultimately passed on to consumers.
Security: International routing exposes Nigerian data to foreign surveillance and increases vulnerability to cyberattacks.
Content Control: It becomes more difficult for regulators to manage online threats like fraud, misinformation, and illegal content when data routes are offshore.
To address these challenges, IXPN’s 2030 strategy includes:
Expanding IXPN nodes across all 36 states to reduce geographic barriers;
Mandating interconnection between government agencies and ISPs at local exchanges;
Collaborating with the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and Ministry of Communications to enforce local routing policies;
Attracting global tech firms to host content and servers within Nigeria.
Stakeholders in Nigeria’s tech ecosystem have expressed support for the plan, highlighting its potential to enhance digital inclusion, support smart city development, and encourage tech innovation across sectors.
With internet penetration now above 55%, and broadband expansion accelerating, experts believe the time is ripe for Nigeria to internalize its data flows and strengthen its digital independence.
The success of IXPN’s plan, however, depends on infrastructure investment, policy enforcement, and collaboration between telecom companies, regulators, and content providers. If achieved, Nigeria could join the ranks of countries with fully domestic internet loops—positioning it as a true digital hub in Africa by the end of the decade.