General News
Competition in Undersea Cables Will Promote Reliability-Rudman
Mohammed Rudman is the managing director of Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN).
In his over a decade experience in the information and communications technology, Rudman has worked as network administrator in Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec) from where he moved to Galaxy Backbone.
He spoke to chike onwuegbuchi on how IXPN will help stimulate growth in internet service delivery and local content.
Exchange Point and Nigerian Economy
Our role is to interconnect service providers, Telcos, Universities, financial sectors and virtually almost every organization that deals with information technology so that they can exchange local traffic locally within Nigeria.
This will benefit the economy tremendously, because it will have multiple effects. Apart from the direct benefit; there are other indirect benefits to the economy. When you look at all our service providers, they interconnect right now outside the country and therefore their traffic is being exchanged outside the country, on the process they pay for that interconnection outside the country in foreign currency, so that is capital flight, for traffic that suppose to be exchanged within the country, you now export it for you to bring it back. So, to save the country that capital flight, it means that local traffic should be made local which is the reason behind the establishment of Internet Exchange of Nigeria.
And if you look at issue of our security, because our traffic is no longer going outside the country, it remains local within the country; it means that we are secured to some extent because we are communicating within ourselves. By the time you push those Email outside Nigeria to come back it is possible for somebody to see your own email, it means we are a bit vulnerable, but by the time we are all interconnected such email will not be taken away.
Also if you look at our educational institution, they can interconnect with us, and right now we are working with University of Lagos to have what is called Eko Connect, which is higher educational connectivity project to interconnect higher educational institutions within Lagos towards national research and educational network, so this also will have multiple effect on the economy, because they are training our graduates, and they should be able to collaborate for research. It also promotes local content development, because with us you can start posting content locally, so with this you can promote culture and heritage.
Value Added Services
First, because exchange points are very suitable for centralized infrastructure within the country, we decided to discuss with one of the thirteen global root server operators in the world for them to keep their servers in Nigeria. This will make local translations of names in the internet possible in Nigeria and our discussions have reach advanced level and within the next one month, the root servers will be active in Nigeria, which will be the first root server in West Africa.
Secondly, we are also trying to put time server within Nigeria so that one can synchronize his or her time with us, like if you have a computer at home or in your office you can synchronize it with us so that their timing will be exactly the same because right now there is no public time server for Nigeria, so with that, different network can now synchronize their time from one source. We have already implemented what is called Community DNS in Nigeria. It has been implemented 100% and it is working.
So we are doing other things like that so as to promote local content and provide centralized infrastructure.
ISPs with Foreign Partners
This will not affect our services because this site is very important, we put them in remote places where people can have access to the internet and it will continue because we have so many remote areas that needs internet access.
Also some of them are already thinking in this direction and are relocating their hubs back into the country. They want to localize their traffic and have brought back their hub from US back to the country, for them to be interconnected to the exchange point. By the time all of them bring back their hub, it means that local content within Nigeria remains local and it will also save them some satellite bandwidth.
New Undersea Cable Initiative as Boost to ISPs in Nigeria
This will help to lower the cost of internet access generally, and will promote reliability because it is more than one cable, formally we have only one submarine cable, SAT 3, now Glo 1 is coming Main One is coming and WACS will come maybe next year, so with this, it means that we have multiple redundancy. Because internet is becoming our ways of life, it is becoming also a critical infrastructure just like water, power and so on. It is very good that we are having this many cables coming in so that, we will now have reliability incase one cable fails, and normally when it happens we have back ups because competitors are coming in and because they are many. I believe that due to competition the prices of internet will really drop and it will be available to the common man as long as the distributing channels are there. As they all are coming in through the sea to the landing stations in Lagos, just like you have containers coming in ships to Lagos, now if we don’t have the road to distribute these containers then there is a problem. The distribution network is in terms of fiber network connecting to the most remote part of the country like Sokoto, Maidugri etc., if such infrastructure exists in these locations, I think it will really lower the cost.
Success Made so Far
Formally the progress and the success were a bit small because we are new and people don’t want to change. We are telling them to change, instead of having one direct path to the internet, to start having two interconnections, one to the left and the other one to the right, if you are going to the internet, you go to the left and if you are going to the Nigerian content, you go right. So this means a change from the one single direction to two directions. It was difficult trying to bring competitors to cooperate for the common interest of both parties. It has been difficult, but eventually we have broken that barrier and it is now happening. The service providers are now cooperating. Though they are competing outside publicly, but they are collaborating privately trying to save the country and to promote efficient services to their customers.
The traffic has increased from very small to more than few thousand percent from the time we started. I think we have made a reasonable progress and we are right now at what is called the tipping point, where things will eventually start changing so fast because we have made the progress to this level and there will be tremendous progress because international organization are even coming to join us like Google now is coming to connect to us very soon.
Force on Operators to Interconnect
The answer could be yes or could be no, because there is a say that you will take the horse to the river but cannot force it to drink water. You can force them to interconnect but you cannot force them to exchange traffic, and on the other hand when you force them to interconnect, you might awaken them to see the actual benefit that formally they were not seeing, so it has a good side for the regulators to force them and it also has a bad side.
Required Capacity to Carry theTraffic
We have more than what is required. Right now, we are using less than 5% of our capacity; we have excess capacity that we can accommodate. We can easily handle all the traffics, so I think we have the capacity to handle almost everybody.
Expansion of Operations
We intend to be in six geopolitical zones, and we are partnering with National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) to add two additional exchange points before the end of this year in two regions within Nigeria.
The Way Forward
We have a program right now; we are trying to move to a better modern facility, and this is where we are going to have the switching equipment, the browsing equipment and this is all because of the support from Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC). They are funding the movement and I want to also use this opportunity to thank them for this; and with this infrastructure we will be able to provide quality service because the international organizations are coming in and they wouldn’t want to compromise on quality. That is why we are providing a high standard world class facility for them and for the entire Nigerian service providers to connect.
IP Version Six
IP version 6 is a new standard protocol for IP communication, right now we are using IP version 4. Because of limitation on size of IP version 4, it is almost going into extinction and it is anticipated that in the next one year it will no longer be available for use that is why globally people are moving into IP version 6. Unfortunately, Nigeria is left behind and that is why we are battling with original internet registry for them to start training in Nigeria for IP version 6.
The first training is going to take place in September, first week of September most likely in Lagos and on the second week in Abuja and we intend to continue this training so we can make the impact, so that the networks here can move from IP version 4 to IP version 6.
Ola Olukoyede, chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has raised the alarm that some corrupt Nigerian politicians are now hiding their illicit wealth in cryptocurrencies to evade scrutiny and detection by anti-graft agencies.
Ola Olukoyede, chairman, EFCC
The EFCC boss said the agency had uncovered a growing trend where fraudulent public officials now used cryptocurrency wallets to stash stolen public funds and conduct illicit transactions.
Olukoyede made the revelation at an event commemorating Africa Anti-Corruption Day.
The event was held simultaneously in Abuja, Lagos and Ibadan, Oyo State.
Other speakers at the event lamented that Nigerians usually fell victim to crypto fraud, including the recent CBEX scam, where Nigerians lost over N1.3tn.
Olukoyede said, “Virtual asset fraud is on the rise. Our findings show that fraudulent politicians are already perfecting schemes and hiding their loot in cryptocurrencies to beat the investigative blackness of anti-corruption agencies.
“Stolen funds and unexplained wealth are being warehoused in wallets and payment for services are being done through this window,” he said.
Olukoyede warned that while the rise of virtual assets had transformed financial transactions globally, it had also created new avenues for money laundering and financial crimes.
He said, “Technology is moving at a supersonic speed around the world.
“The advent of virtual assets is a response to one of the qualities of money as a store of value like it is known in our elementary economies.”
“However, as with every progressive innovation, fraud starts to usually evolve, evolve ways of perverting their genuine purposes,” he said.
He added that the EFCC was not helpless in the face of the sophisticated schemes, noting that proactive training and intelligence sharing had enabled the commission to identify and investigate such cases.
Airtel Nigeria, telecommunications and digital solutions provider, has reemphasised its commitment to national development with a two-day workshop for companies in Nigeria’s Banking, Financial Services & Insurance (BFSI) and utility sectors.
Held from July 8 to 9, 2025 at the Lagos Continental, the exclusive event brought together C-suite executives and industry thought leaders to co-create transformative and tech-driven solutions for these critical industries.
Themed “Banking on Innovation: Powering Financial Services with Connectivity” on 1 and “Accelerating Nigeria’s Digital Leap: Smarter Networks, Smarter Business” on Day 2, the sessions were designed to identify critical pain points, unlock business potential, and drive smarter, more connected operations across two of the nation’s most essential sectors.
Delivering the keynote address, Dinesh Balsingh, Managing Director/CEO of Airtel Nigeria, reaffirmed Airtel’s dedication to enabling and driving Nigeria’s digital transformation across the finance and energy sectors.
Speaking on the timeliness of the workshop, Airtel Nigeria’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dinesh Balsingh said, “From power and water to finance, transportation, and logistics, this is a defining moment for every sector. The real question isn’t whether to adopt digital solutions, but how quickly and intelligently we can do so. At Airtel Nigeria, we’re moving beyond basic connectivity and becoming a true digital partner to the industries we serve.”
He highlighted Airtel’s categories of enterprise solutions that has been created to improve quality of life. These groupings include Internet of Things (IoT) for such services as smart metering, leak detection, energy optimisation, and real-time asset tracking; Communications Platform as a Service (CPaaS), which enables secure, multi-channel customer engagement via SMS, WhatsApp, Voice, and USSD; as well asl Network as a Service (NaaS), which delivers flexible, secure connectivity with cloud-ready agility.
Mr. Balsingh added that, “Nigeria’s power and energy industries are under growing pressure to modernise. Legacy infrastructure, fragmented systems, and lack of real-time visibility are major obstacles. Airtel is stepping in with the right tools, not just to connect, but to transform. With IoT, CPaaS, and NaaS, we’re laying the groundwork for smarter operations, improved service delivery, and better outcomes for businesses and consumers alike.”
Abhishek Biswal, Chief Business Officer, Digital Services at Airtel India, brought substantial insight to the discourse with a demonstration of Airtel’s IoT Hub and its transformative impact on energy distribution.
Biswal said, “The future of finance and energy is digital, and that future must be secure, scalable, and seamless. When financial players and utility providers partner with telcos like Airtel, we’re not just connecting systems; we’re building a smarter digital ecosystem for everyone.”
Reinforcing the CEO’s position, Ogo Ofomata, Director, Airtel Business, called for collaboration among the participating sector and their stakeholders.
“We don’t take lightly the trust you have put in us. Airtel operates in what we call the enabler industry. Sometimes we don’t even know there’s a problem until we come together like this. This workshop is about understanding your needs and working side by side to design solutions that truly fit,” she said.
In his remarks, Luc Serviant, Group Enterprise Business Director at Airtel Africa, highlighted the company’s role in driving digital transformation through sustained investments in 5G and LEO satellite connectivity, aimed at boosting remote operations and expanding access in underserved regions across the finance and energy sectors.
He said, “At Airtel, we understand that the future of is going digital, and reliable connectivity is the backbone of that future. From 5G to LEO satellite integration, we are investing in intelligent infrastructure that empowers service providers to operate more efficiently, respond in real-time, and deliver uninterrupted services to millions of Nigerians. This isn’t just about innovation; it’s about building the digital foundation that will power the nation’s next chapter.”
This workshop, which continues the series of sectoral engagements within Nigeria’s growing economy, concluded with feedback from stakeholders who called for the inclusion of regulatory bodies such as the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) in future editions.
The Credit Fund of the AfCFTA Adjustment Fund has successfully closed its first investment, committing $10 million to Telecel Global Services Ltd, through a senior secured amortising loan.
The transaction marks a significant milestone in the operationalisation of the Fund. The Credit Fund is one of three Funds under the AfCFTA Adjustment Fund, established by the AfCFTA Secretariat and African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) to provide targeted transitional support to AfCFTA State Parties and private sector entities as they adjust to the requirements and opportunities presented by the AfCFTA Agreement.
Telecel Global Services, a subsidiary of the Mauritius based Telecel Group, provides wholesale voice and SMS services and enterprise connectivity solutions to more than 250 telecoms operators across Africa and globally.
With digital connectivity being at the heart of the trade and economic integration and success of the AfCFTA, this facility will support Telecel’s expansion in Ghana and Liberia, strengthen its infrastructure, and contribute to bridging Africa’s digital divide through enhanced connectivity and digital inclusion.
By investing in digital infrastructure in underserved markets, the Fund is helping reduce trade barriers, foster cross-boarder productivity and accelerate inclusive industrialization. Mr. Jean-Louis Ekra, Chairman of the Board of the AfCFTA Adjustment Fund Corporation, stated: “
The closing of our first deal marks a historic milestone for the Credit Fund and the broader vision of the AfCFTA.
This US$10 million investment in Telecel Global Services is a clear demonstration of how targeted capital can drive meaningful impact—accelerating digital connectivity, enabling intraAfrican trade, and supporting private sector-led development in priority sectors.
It is our commitment to ensure that such investments continue to bridge critical gaps, stimulate economic resilience, and unlock Africa’s vast potential.”
H.E. Wamkele Mene, Secretary-General of the AfCFTA Secretariat, noted: “This transaction demonstrates how the AfCFTA Adjustment Fund is beginning to serve its intended purpose – supporting State Parties and the private sector as we work to make this Agreement commercially meaningful.
By investing in digital infrastructure, we are addressing some of the most critical enablers of trade facilitation, industrialisation, and regional value chain development.”
Prof. Benedict Oramah, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Afreximbank, added: “Today, we make another bold statement of our unwavering intent to ensure that Africans reap the benefits of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement.
We are proud to have commenced the operationalisation of the Credit Fund. With this Fund, we will provide vital support to African corporates, helping them retool and expand their operations necessary to capitalise on the AfCFTA opportunities.
The investment strengthens a critical enabler, the digital economy and regional connectivity, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to transforming the structure of the African economy.”
Marlene Ngoyi, CEO, FEDA, the Fund Manager of the AfCFTA Adjustment Fund, said: “This investment exemplifies the strategic intent of the Credit Fund – to catalyse growth and resilience in sectors that are vital for Africa’s structural transformation.
We are proud to partner with Telecel, whose operations directly advance intra-African connectivity and digital trade.”
The Credit Fund will continue to prioritise commercially viable investments that enable trade, support diversification, and promote inclusive growth in line with the broader AfCFTA implementation agenda.
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