•Saves $40m annually through local data exchange
By Chinenye Anuforo
Nigeria has reached a historic peak in internet traffic, recording 1 terabit per second (Tbps) for the first time. This significant milestone not only highlighted the nation’s accelerating digital transformation but also brings substantial economic benefits through the efficient exchange of local data.
The journey to this 1Tbps milestone has been a progressive one for Nigeria. Starting from a modest 5 to 10 megabits per second in 2008, internet traffic saw substantial increases, reaching 126 gigabits by 2019, then 250Gbps in 2020, and climbing to 900Gbps by late 2024. The 1Tbps threshold was finally crossed in March 2025.
This expansion is attributed to the increasing number of local data centers, enhanced interconnection, and the presence of major international content providers such as Google, Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft, Netflix, and TikTok, all now connected to the Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN).
Muhammed Rudman, CEO of IXPN, revealed this achievement during a media briefing in Lagos on Tuesday. He emphasized that this milestone represents a significant advancement in Nigeria’s internet infrastructure development and highlights the crucial role of local internet infrastructure in fostering economic growth, innovation, and connectivity for millions of Nigerians.
According to Rudman, “This milestone is more than just a number. It is 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.
Achieving 1 Tbps is a significant victory for Nigeria’s ICT ecosystem, a breakthrough for domestic internet traffic. It serves as a catalyst, enabling millions of Nigerians to enjoy faster, more affordable, and resilient internet connectivity.”
The 1 Terabit per second capacity signifies a transformative leap for Africa’s most populous nation. To illustrate its impact, a speed of 1 Tbps can concurrently support over 1 million Zoom meetings, empowering students, entrepreneurs, and professionals to connect and drive Nigeria’s digital revolution. Furthermore, this speed allows over 200,000 individuals to simultaneously stream high-definition Nollywood or Netflix movies without any buffering or interruptions. It also enables the transfer of the entire contents of 50,000 smartphones—including photos, applications, and videos—in a mere second.
He further explained the broader implications: “For Nigeria, hitting this milestone means reducing reliance on international bandwidth, decreasing latency for local services, and strengthening its position as Africa’s digital heartbeat. This milestone is a testament to the power of collaboration, innovation, and the relentless pursuit of a faster, more connected Nigeria. This accomplishment goes beyond technical advancements; it has significant economic implications.”
He elaborated on the economic benefits, stating, “By encouraging local traffic exchange, IXPN reduces dependency on international bandwidth, leading to significant cost savings. By utilizing local data exchange, Nigerian businesses can save millions of dollars annually on international bandwidth fees.” He also pointed out the improvements in user experience: “It also helps to enhanced speed and connectivity, in that with reduced latency, users experience smoother streaming, gaming, and real-time services, enhancing their overall online experience. It strengthens Nigeria’s internet infrastructure protects against global disruptions, ensuring consistent access to vital services such as healthcare and education and optimizes digital services like fintech, edtech, e-commerce, and e-health, propelling innovation and growth in these sectors.”
The importance of this progress extends beyond mere speed. The Internet Society (ISOC) has revealed that Nigeria is now saving at least $40 million annually by keeping internet traffic within its borders, a cost avoidance achieved by routing data locally instead of relying on expensive international bandwidth.
Despite this achievement, Rudman also drew attention to Nigeria’s underdeveloped internet infrastructure, noting, “With a population comparable to Brazil, Nigeria has only 257 autonomous system numbers (ASNs), far fewer than Brazil’s 10,000 and South Africa’s 770. This is a major indicator of how few networks we have offering services.”
He highlighted the dominance of mobile internet access, stating that 99 percent of internet access in Nigeria is mobile-based, with many regions still limited to 2G or 3G networks. “Some states with populations in the millions lack a single network with an ASN. That is a crisis. Even institutions with technical capacity remain unconnected. Out of 22 financial institutions, only the Central Bank of Nigeria is connected to IXPN,” he stated, also criticizing the insufficient interconnectivity among Nigerian universities.
Rudman proposed the development of regional hubs, suggesting that a city like Kano could host Hausa language content and attract neighboring countries to connect through Nigeria, similar to South Africa’s role in Southern Africa. To realize this vision, he advocated for investments in community networks, regulatory incentives, and support for local Internet Service Providers (ISPs). “The number of ISPs in Nigeria is shrinking. That’s a red flag. We need to reverse that trend to truly become a digital leader,” he advised.
He called for greater collaboration among regulators, stakeholders, and the media to identify and address the gaps within Nigeria’s digital ecosystem. “We are all Nigerians. We want Nigeria to be a better place. Let’s work together to solve this,” he urged.
The 1Tbps milestone is a result of years of collaborative efforts across Nigeria’s ICT sector. IXPN expressed its gratitude to its stakeholders, including its members and partners, whose trust and participation have been instrumental in making IXPN a center for innovation and growth. The exchange also acknowledged the support of government agencies, particularly the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), for its consistent support and vision of a digitally inclusive Nigeria. Rudman also recognized the contributions of engineers, network administrators, and IXPN staff who have worked tirelessly to push boundaries, and thanked global partners for their advocacy in supporting local peering initiatives throughout Africa.
Rudman affirmed that reaching 1Tbps is just the beginning. He stated that as the demand for data-intensive technologies such as AI, IoT, 5G, and immersive media increases, IXPN is preparing to scale its infrastructure, enhance its network resilience, expand its reach to rural areas, and strengthen Africa’s digital sovereignty by collaborating with regional IXPs to ensure that more African data remains within the continent.
Surveys conducted among IXPN members over the years have indicated a growing proportion of local internet traffic in Nigeria. A recent report shows that some connected members can localize or domesticate up to 70 percent of their internet traffic through IXPN. Raphael Iloka, the marketing Manager, added, “As more content providers, ISPs, banks, and public institutions localize their traffic through the IXP, end users benefit directly. We’re not just routing data. We are building the foundation for Nigeria’s digital economy.”
Leave a comment