For the first time, Nigeria’s domestic internet traffic has reached a historic milestone of 1 Terabit per second (1Tbps), according to the Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN). This achievement reflects the nation’s commitment to localising digital infrastructure and reducing dependency on international bandwidth.
At 1Tbps, Nigeria’s network can handle over a million Zoom calls or 200,000 simultaneous high-definition Nollywood streams, a testament to the country’s growing digital capacity.
The Chief Executive Officer of IXPN, Muhammed Rudman, who hailed the milestone as a major stride towards digital independence, explained that achieving 1Tbps would significantly lower latency, reduce costs, and increase service reliability.
“This milestone is a testament to the power of collaboration, innovation, and the relentless pursuit of a faster, more connected Nigeria,” he said. Rudman noted that stronger local infrastructure would protect Nigeria from the global internet disruptions that occasionally affect services dependent on foreign connections.
The development has direct financial and functional implications. Service providers in Nigeria will benefit from reduced costs due to diminished reliance on expensive international submarine cables and foreign data centres. These savings could be reinvested to improve digital services or expand broadband coverage. End-users, including fintech customers, students in virtual classes, and online shoppers, are expected to enjoy faster, smoother internet experiences.
Local businesses, including banks, schools, hospitals, and e-commerce platforms, stand to gain from more stable and reliable connectivity. IXPN marketing manager, Raphael Iloka, emphasized the societal benefits of the digital transformation, noting that as more institutions localize their traffic through IXPN, end-users will continue to experience improved performance and reliability. He described the shift as building the backbone of Nigeria’s digital economy.
IXPN, which serves as Nigeria’s largest Internet Exchange Point, currently connects over 130 organizations, including global tech giants such as Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and TikTok. Its network stretches beyond Lagos to major cities like Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano, Enugu, Delta, and Gombe, with plans to expand further by 2025. The organization’s achievements have earned it global recognition, including compliance with the MANRS standard for secure internet routing, underscoring the strategic progress in Nigeria’s digital evolution.