Lagos: The Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN) says it has achieved a significant milestone, crossing one terabit per second (1Tbps) in aggregate peak domestic internet traffic for the first time. Speaking during a press conference held in Lagos on Tuesday to celebrate the milestone, IXPN’s Chief Executive Officer, Muhammed Rudman, described the achievement as a symbol of Nigeria’s digital maturity. According to him, the development marks a major leap forward in developing Nigeria’s internet infrastructure, driving economic growth, innovation, and connectivity for millions of Nigerians.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, IXPN is Nigeria’s largest Internet Exchange Point, a non-profit and membership-based organisation serving as a critical hub for interconnection between Internet Service Providers (ISPs), content networks, enterprises, and digital platforms. Through its neutral and high-capacity infrastructure, it facilitates the efficient exchange of internet traffic within Nigeria, promoting faster and more reliable connectivity across Nigeria and the wider West African region.
The 1Tbps milestone means Nigerians will enjoy faster internet, streaming online services will be smoother and more people will be able to use the internet at the same time without slowdowns. “This milestone is more than just a number. It’s a symbol of Nigeria’s digital maturity and our united strides towards becoming a tech-driven nation. By keeping local internet traffic within Nigeria, we reduce costs, improve speeds, and ensure our digital economy thrives with homegrown infrastructure,” Rudman said.
He said that the achievement was a game-changer for Africa’s most populous country, enabling over one million concurrent zoom calls and supporting more than 200,000 simultaneous HD video streams. He added that it also enabled transferring the contents of 50,000 smartphones in just one second. According to Rudman, achieving one Tbps is a significant victory for Nigeria’s ICT ecosystem, enabling millions of Nigerians to enjoy faster, more affordable, and resilient internet connectivity.
“The milestone has significant economic implications, including reducing reliance on international bandwidth, decreasing latency for local services, and strengthening Nigeria’s position as Africa’s digital heartbeat. By encouraging local traffic exchange, IXPN reduces dependency on international bandwidth, leading to significant cost savings, enhanced speed and connectivity, increased resilience, and improved efficiency in digital services,” Rudman noted.
Also, IXPN’s Marketing Manager, Mr Raphael Iloka, said that as more content providers, Internet Service Providers (ISPS), banks, and public institutions localised their traffic through the IXPN, end-users benefitted directly. “We are not just routing data, IXPN is building the foundation for Nigeria’s digital economy,” Iloka said.
He said the achievement was a testament to the power of collaboration and innovation among stakeholders. Iloka stressed that the company appreciated the vital contributions of its members, partners, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), and its team. He emphasised that the IXPN was committed to staying ahead of the curve, with plans to invest in advanced hardware and software, enhance resilience, empower underserved communities, and strengthen Africa’s digital sovereignty.
“As data demands skyrocket with emerging technologies like AI, IoT, 5G, and immersive technologies, IXPN is poised to support multi-terabit capacities, bridge the digital divide, and keep Africa’s data on the continent. This milestone marks the beginning of a new era in Nigeria’s digital landscape, with IXPN at the forefront of driving innovation and growth,” he emphasised.