Nigeria’s internet capacity expands as data centre links hit 1Tbps

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Read History Go to My Account Log Out Enhanced by Google Technology Nigeria’s internet capacity expands as data centre links hit 1Tbps Nigeria’s internet infrastructure is recording a significant expansion in domestic connectivity capacity, with interconnection between major data centre facilities reaching

Listen to this article Share Nigeria’s internet infrastructure is recording a significant expansion in domestic connectivity capacity, with interconnection between major data centre facilities reaching 1 terabit per second (Tbps), highlighting the growing importance of local infrastructure in supporting the country’s digital economy.

The expansion, disclosed by Muhammed Rudman, chief executive officer of the Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN), shows how connectivity between Digital Realty’s Medallion Data Centre and Equinix has reached 1Tbps, while the link between Medallion and Rack Centre has expanded to 500 gigabits per second (Gbps).

The development reflects increasing demand for local internet traffic exchange as telecommunications operators, internet service providers, cloud platforms and content providers expand their digital services.

It also underscores the strategic importance of data centres and internet exchange infrastructure in keeping more Nigerian internet traffic within the country rather than routing it through international networks, a practice that can increase latency, raise connectivity costs and expose local networks to external disruptions.

Speaking at IXPN’s 20th anniversary celebration in Lagos, Rudman highlighted the expansion of interconnection capacity among the country’s major data centre facilities, pointing to the growing scale of Nigeria’s domestic internet ecosystem.

Digital Realty, which operates Medallion Data Centre, received three awards at the anniversary ceremony, making it the only organisation to receive three recognitions. The awards included the Strategic Data Centre Partnership Award and IXPN Founding Members Legacy Award, while its chief executive officer, Ikechukwu Nnamani, received the Distinguished Contribution to Internet Exchange Development Award.

The recognition reflects the company’s longstanding involvement in developing Nigeria’s internet infrastructure, particularly through its role as a founding member of IXPN and its provision of infrastructure for local internet peering.

Nnamani said Digital Realty’s data centres continue to serve as the central location for local internet peering in Nigeria, hosting a significant majority of IXPN traffic and connecting other data centres through a star configuration.

This positioning gives the Medallion campus strategic importance within Nigeria’s internet architecture, as it provides a central point through which networks exchange traffic and establish connections with other infrastructure providers.

The expansion of links to 1Tbps and 500Gbps also points to the increasing capacity required to support data-intensive activities, including video streaming, digital banking, cloud computing, artificial intelligence and enterprise applications.

For Nigeria’s telecom and technology industry, stronger domestic interconnection has implications beyond network speed. It can reduce dependence on international transit providers, improve the resilience of local networks and support more efficient delivery of digital services.

Keeping internet traffic within national borders is particularly important for a market where demand for data continues to rise alongside smartphone adoption, digital financial services and the expansion of online businesses.

Without adequate local interconnection infrastructure, Nigerian networks may need to route traffic through international locations before it reaches another network within the country. Such arrangements can increase the cost of delivering internet services and introduce unnecessary delays.

IXPN, established in 2006, was created to address this challenge by providing a platform for internet service providers, telecommunications operators, content delivery networks and other network operators to exchange traffic locally.

Over the past two decades, the exchange has become an important part of Nigeria’s digital infrastructure, helping networks connect directly and improve the efficiency of domestic internet traffic.

Digital Realty’s role as a founding member and infrastructure host has been central to this development, with its Medallion campus in Lagos serving as a major interconnection hub.

The growing capacity of these links comes as Nigeria and other African markets seek to attract more investment into data centres, fibre-optic networks and other digital infrastructure needed to support the next phase of technological growth.

The increasing adoption of artificial intelligence, cloud services and digital platforms is expected to place additional pressure on existing infrastructure, making reliable power, fibre connectivity, data centre capacity and local peering increasingly important to the competitiveness of the digital economy.

Digital Realty reaffirmed its commitment to providing resilient, carrier-neutral data centre infrastructure to support the expansion of internet connectivity in Nigeria and across West Africa.

While higher-capacity links improve the ability of networks to exchange data, the long-term benefits will depend on wider investment in fibre infrastructure, reliable electricity, geographically distributed data centres and sufficient redundancy to prevent disruptions at critical interconnection points.

Royal Ibeh is a senior journalist with years of experience reporting on Nigeria’s technology and health sectors. She currently covers the Technology and Health beats for BusinessDay newspaper, where she writes in-depth stories on digital innovation, telecom infrastructure, healthcare systems, and public health policies.