Offshore Providers frustrate Connection to Internet Exchange Point

The presence of offshore providers in the internet service delivery space has significantly reduced the connection of internet service providers (ISPs) to the Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria, Nigeria CommunicationsWeek can now reveal.
An Internet exchange point (IXP) is a physical infrastructure through which Internet service providers (ISPs) exchange Internet traffic between their networks, for the primary reasons of cost reduction, latency, and bandwidth.
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek gathered that the absence of local content which can drive the exchange and the exorbitant rate charged smaller ISPs as compared to the multinational ISPs necessitated the move for connection to the offshore provider’s platform.
This pose a threat to the existence of the exchange as ISPs have become marginalized by going through offshore providers and there is no ISP joining the exchange based on individual basis.
ISPs that connect to the offshore provider’s platform see no need to connect to the exchange because the offshore provider is already a member of the exchange.
Another reason given for the avoidance of the internet exchange point is the unavailability of infrastructure.
Nigeria CommunicationsWeek investigations revealed that the Ikeja exchange point was removed due to infrastructural problems which can easily be resolved. 
A typical IXP consists of one or more network switches, to which each of the participating ISPs connect.