The internet has become a key driver of digital transformation and a crucial force for global economic and social development. To guarantee its quality and accessibility, a central challenge is ensuring the availability of high-performing infrastructure.

The Nigerien government inaugurated an Internet Exchange Point (IXP) in the capital, Niamey, on Tuesday, August 19. The new infrastructure is intended to strengthen the country's digital network and improve connectivity. The launch follows similar moves in other African nations, including Mauritania, which opened its second IXP in May, and Ghana, where UK-based company LINX launched one in July after two previous installations in Kenya. While an essential part of the digital ecosystem, the IXP remains largely unknown to the general public in Africa.

For Nigerien authorities, the new IXP is "an infrastructure that, while not of a very large size, remains a true technological revolution for Niger, where the telecommunications infrastructure initially present in the territory could no longer ensure sufficient connection for the population at affordable prices."

What Is an IXP?

According to U.S. technology company Cloudflare, an IXP is a physical location where Internet infrastructure companies such as internet service providers (ISPs) and content delivery networks (CDNs) connect directly with each other. These points, situated at the intersection of different networks, allow operators to exchange traffic without going through external intermediaries.

The Internet Society adds that IXPs create shorter, more direct routes for local traffic. Without them, some of this traffic is routed internationally before returning via a costly and inefficient international link. In such a scenario, a simple email sent to a neighbor could travel across other countries, or even continents, before reaching its destination.

For an IXP to function, it requires equipment such as a switch, routers, and servers, as well as a neutral hosting space, a reliable power supply, cooling systems, security, and specialized engineers for its operation. An IXP can be a standalone facility or installed within a data center.

The Purpose of an IXP

According to the African Union, Internet exchange points offer immediate and lasting benefits. In the short term, they significantly reduce costs by preventing local traffic from transiting through expensive international links. Local bandwidth becomes more accessible, and connections become faster by reducing the number of necessary hops. Additionally, engineers gain new skills in managing BGP (Border Gateway Protocol) and internet resources. IXPs also provide better resilience; in the event of a submarine cable or satellite outage, local traffic can continue to flow normally.

In the long term, they foster the development of the local digital market. They stimulate the creation of neutral data centers, local content hosting and access, and the emergence of new services that rely on fast, reliable connections. By offering operators more choices for routing traffic, IXPs boost competition and improve overall network performance.

The Stakes for Africa

The number of exchange points is growing rapidly on the continent. According to a May 2024 study by the Coalition for Digital Africa, there are 63 operational IXPs in 38 countries, up from just 36 in 26 countries in 2016. Despite this progress, 16 countries still do not have one, even as demand for high-speed connectivity is increasing rapidly. The GSMA predicts that mobile traffic per subscription in sub-Saharan Africa will rise from 1.9 GB per month in 2023 to 8 GB in 2030.

"Building an IXP is neither technically difficult nor is it expensive. When local network operators sell access to ‘the Internet’, they are really selling access to everyone else’s networks, including their competitors. Often, they fail to recognise this, especially in less developed markets. It is thus essential that they agree to cooperate sufficiently to interconnect and exchange traffic. If they don’t do so locally, they will do so overseas, often at higher cost and always at lower performance," notes the "Africa Domain Name Industry Study" by the Coalition for Digital Africa.

IXPs could help lower the price of internet service, one of the main demands of African users. According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the cost of fixed internet still represented 14.8% of gross national income per capita in Africa, compared to 4.48% for mobile internet. The ITU considers a service affordable when this share does not exceed 2%.

The high cost of services remains one of the main obstacles to internet adoption on the continent. A drop in prices could change the landscape by promoting widespread access and use of digital services. According to ITU figures, only 37.5% of the African population used the internet in 2024.

Isaac K. Kassouwi