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Telecom

Africa’s Internet Exchange Points See Growth – Internet Society

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The number of internet exchange points (IXPs) established on the African continent has grown from 19 in 2012, to 46 in 2020.

This indicates a 58% increase over the past few years, according to the Internet Society’s latest report, titled “Moving Toward an Interconnected Africa: The 80/20 Initiative”.

While IXPs were founded in 1996, global non-profit organisation the Internet Society notes the burst of activity started in 2011, continuing over the last few years.

The organisation emphasises that IXPs enable the local exchange of internet traffic instead of using expensive international transit routes. This not only makes internet access much more affordable, it also improves the quality of access by providing more direct network connections, it notes.

The latest report, which examines Africa’s internet ecosystem and current status of IXPs, shows the significant gains made in advancing IXPs on the continent between 2012 and 2020.

It states there is a boom in this type of internet infrastructure development on the continent, with more than half of African countries with an IXP. Six countries – Angola, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa and Tanzania – have more than one IXP.

Similarly, the presence of international content delivery networks has significantly increased, along with locally-developed content, it states.

Dawit Bekele, Africa regional vice-president for the Internet Society, explains: “Thanks to the continued work with partners over the years, we have many more sustainable IXPs that exchange a considerable amount of internet traffic in Africa. But there’s still work to do to ensure more internet traffic is exchanged on the continent.

“A key success factor for IXPs is that governments understand the value that internet infrastructure provides, which encourages the adoption of policies and regulations that enable internet ecosystems to thrive,” adds Bekele.

The report notes that in 2012, in Kenya and Nigeria, approximately 30% of each country’s traffic was localised. However, this had significantly shifted by 2020.

“Between 2012 and 2020, both Kenya and Nigeria moved from the cusp of stage two, with 30% localised traffic, to the cusp of stage three, with 70% localised traffic. South Africa is the only country in Africa currently in stage three.

“Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa also have the only IXPs in the region comprising 50 or more connected networks. The number of members at an IXP is a strong indicator of the health of a country’s Internet ecosystem – both that there are so many networks and that they are all connected to the IXP.”

South Africa is the nation with the most developed internet ecosystem in Africa, based on the Internet Society’s review of all the countries in Africa with IXPs.

The report shows SA has achieved the goal of at least 80% localised traffic, followed by Kenya and Nigeria. “These countries have the most interconnected networks and have succeeded in exchanging 70-80% of their traffic locally.”

For its report, the organisation says it identified three stages of development, depending on the level of localised traffic, and driven by connections between and among internet service providers and content providers.

Based on the internet ecosystem stages of development, stage one refers to when the IXP is mainly used to exchange local traffic between local access providers; it localises up to approximately 30% of total traffic.

In terms of stage two, international content is made available locally, attracted by the IXP and its member networks. This stage localises approximately 30% to 70% of total traffic.

In stage three, the Internet Society notes that local content is hosted locally, rather than in data centres located abroad. This particular stage localises 70% or more of total traffic.


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ATCON Warns of Nationwide Telecom Blackout over Diesel Shortage

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Tony Emoekpere, president, ATCON
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Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) has raised alarm over a diesel supply crisis caused by an ongoing strike by National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG).

ATCON Warns of Nationwide Telecom Blackout over Diesel Shortage

Tony Emoekpere, president, ATCON in a statement said that the fuel supply disruption is critically affecting telecom base stations, pushing them to the brink of a shutdown and threatening millions of mobile and internet users in the region.

“This strike, which stems from the persistent harassment of tanker and petroleum product drivers by police officers in Lagos State, has effectively halted all truck loading operations and fuel movements,” Emoekpere stated.

He explained that diesel supply to telecom infrastructure has been severely impacted, leaving critical sites with dangerously low fuel levels.

According to him, if urgent measures are not taken, the situation could escalate into a full-blown network blackout, disrupting essential services including mobile and internet access, business operations, emergency response systems, and daily communications.

ATCON has called on the governors of Lagos and Ogun states to intervene immediately by facilitating the release of diesel from depots to telecom operators to prevent further deterioration of the situation.

“This is not just a telecom issue—it is a national emergency that could cripple economic activities and compromise public safety,” Emoekpere stressed.

The association also appealed to security agencies and petroleum unions to resolve the crisis swiftly to safeguard Nigeria’s connectivity and economic stability.

ATCON emphasised that a prolonged disruption in fuel supply to telecom infrastructure could have far-reaching consequences for both businesses and individuals who rely on stable communication networks for daily operations.

 

 

 

 

 


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Globacom Continues Upgrade of Network Infrastructure Across Nigeria

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Foremost telecommunications company, Globacom, says it has continued the upgrade of its network facilities across the country in its determination to achieve network efficiency and service excellence.

The humongous operation was initiated last year and involves a comprehensive upgrade of existing infrastructure and the rollout of new base transceiver stations to ensure high-speed data and enhanced voice services for its growing customer base.

In the light of the recent increase in telecom tariffs, Globacom said it remained committed to building a world-class telecommunications infrastructure while maintaining competitive pricing for its voice and data services.

Said Glo, ” the network upgrade encompasses a wide range of enhancements, including nationwide rollout of new sites and upgrade of existing ones, core network upgrade, access network upgrade, transmission and IP network upgrade and fiber network expansion. It also includes access and backbone infrastructure upgrade, passive equipment expansion, including power and environmental upgrades”.

Globacom has successfully deployed hundreds of new sites in recent months  in key locations across the country, including Lagos, Ogun, Nasarawa, Rivers, Edo, Delta, Cross River, Kaduna, Kano, and Abuja.

This upgrade aims to expand network capacity, provide enhanced voice and data services, and alleviate congestion in high-traffic areas.

It has equally integrated hundreds of LTE 2600 sites in key markets, including Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Ondo, and Kwara, as well as in select tertiary institutions.

This enhancement aims to provide high-speed data services and prevent network congestion.

The company has equally created additional data network capacity and carried out enhancements across 1,700 sites in various states including Ogun, Oyo, Ondo, Osun, Ekiti, Edo, Delta, Anambra, Enugu, Abia, Ebonyi, Bayelsa, Benue, Nasarawa, Kaduna and Plateau States in tandem with the Federal Government’s broadband penetration initiative.

This upgrade will improve data throughput, network quality, and coverage, ultimately enhancing customer satisfaction.

Globacom disclosed that it has also added hundreds of 2G, 3G and 4G base stations to boost coverage and enhance capacity demand across the country. In order to  support these expansion projects, the company  has upgraded its Glo1 submarine cable capacity to ensure maximum utilization.

“This upgrade will provide seamless access to ultra-high-speed services, ensuring a unique calling and browsing experience on the Glo network at all times”, Glo assured.

In the same vein, the data solutions provider has begun a massive nationwide drive to upgrade its power and fiber infrastructure, deploying thousands of new generators and replacing thousands of kilometers of old fiber routes while laying new ones.

This initiative aims to create redundancy for better network availability and enhance overall customer experience.


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OnePipe Launches PaywithAccount: Revolutionizing Payment Collections in Nigeria

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For many Nigerian small business owners, cash flow isn’t just a challenge—it’s a constant battle. Whether it’s schools struggling with delayed tuition payments, logistics firms dealing with inconsistent driver remittances, or cooperatives managing member contributions, the process of collecting payments remains inefficient, unpredictable, and time-consuming.

A study by PwC revealed that 48% of Nigerian Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) have experienced delayed payments due to different reasons, with 33% of affected businesses reporting severe consequences.

Traditional systems often involve manual invoicing, repeated follow-ups, and high transaction fees, leaving business owners with less time to focus on growing their operations.

In response to this challenge, OnePipe has launched PaywithAccount, a direct-from-account payment solution that helps businesses automate and simplify collections, reducing delays and improving cash flow predictability. With PaywithAccount, businesses can collect payments directly from customer bank accounts—securely and automatically—without the need for cards, manual reminders, or complex reconciliations.

For entrepreneurs across Nigeria, the ability to receive payments on time means the difference between survival and growth. “As a school owner, I want to focus on my students, not spend hours tracking unpaid fees,” said Mrs. Olumide Ashade, Founder of King’s Court School in Lagos.

“Many of our parents pay in installments, but managing these payments manually has been stressful.

“A solution like PaywithAccount means we can offer flexibility to parents while keeping our finances in order.”

“Reliable repayment is the backbone of growth for lenders. At Lendsqr, we understand that payment delays are a significant problem for lenders”, said Adedeji Olowe, Founder, Lendsqr.

“We have helped many of our lenders transition from debit cards to PaywithAccount which reliably ensures loan repayments are on schedule.”

“At NIBSS, our core vision is to empower the financial ecosystem to innovate within the framework of interoperability, ease of connectivity, collaboration, and cost-optimization,” said Ngover Ihyembe-Nwankwo, Executive Director of Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement Systems PLC (NIBSS).

“PaywithAccount is another heartening example of what happens when industry players leverage these guardrails to enhance the overall quality of our nation’s digital payment system.”

For Ope Adeoye, CEO of OnePipe, this is a commitment to empowering Nigerian businesses. “Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, but too many struggle simply because getting paid is a challenge,” said Adeoye.

“We believe financial technology should remove obstacles, not create them.

“PaywithAccount helps businesses worry less about collections so they can focus on what truly matters—growth, innovation, and serving their customers.”

With PaywithAccount, small businesses across Nigeria can now eliminate the stress of late payments, automate their collections, and take full control of their financial future.

For more information about PaywithAccount, visit www.onepipe.io or call 02013438444.


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