IXPN marks anniversary with focus on internet resilience

The Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria is marking its 20th anniversary with a month-long programme focused on developing technical talent, strengthening Internet interconnection and preparing the country’s digital infrastructure for rising demand.

The programme, themed “20 Years of Building Nigeria’s Internet,” will bring together students, network operators, data centre companies, regulators and other stakeholders to examine the evolution of Nigeria’s Internet infrastructure and the skills needed to support its next phase, the firm said on Saturday.

Established in 2006, IXPN operates a neutral platform that allows Internet Service Providers, telecommunications operators, content providers, data centres and other network operators to exchange traffic locally. The model is designed to reduce the need for domestic traffic to travel through international routes and improve the efficiency of local connectivity.

Chief Executive Officer of IXPN, Muhammed Rudman, said the anniversary would focus on both the organisation’s history and the people needed to build Nigeria’s Internet infrastructure in the coming decades.

“IXPN@20 is more than a celebration of an organisation. It is an opportunity to recognise the people, institutions and partnerships that have contributed to the development of Internet interconnection in Nigeria over the past two decades, while preparing the next generation to take Nigeria’s Internet forward,” Rudman noted in a statement.

A key part of the anniversary programme will be the Student Internet Infrastructure Discovery Programme, which will bring about 100 students from ICT-related programmes at tertiary institutions across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.

The students will learn about the development of the Internet in Nigeria, Internet exchanges, network operations, Internet Service Providers and data centres. The programme will also include visits to facilities operated by Open Access Data Centres, Rack Centre and Digital Realty, as well as discussions on internships and careers in Internet infrastructure.

IXPN will also work with the Nigeria IPv6 Council and AFRINIC on an IPv6 capacity-building programme for network operators, engineers, universities and other technical stakeholders.

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The training comes as the continued expansion of cloud computing, artificial intelligence, streaming services and fintech increases demand for connectivity, computing capacity and resilient networks.

The anniversary will also include a women-focused Internet infrastructure forum, aimed at increasing participation by women in areas including network engineering, peering, data centres, cloud infrastructure, cybersecurity, DNS, IPv6 and Internet governance.

IXPN said the forum would seek to move beyond discussions by encouraging mentorship, professional certifications, internships, technical training and employment pathways for women entering the sector.

The organisation will host the Nigeria Peering and Interconnection Forum as part of the anniversary activities, bringing together network operators, content providers, data centres, regulators and other industry participants to discuss routing, resilience, peering and local content delivery.

IXPN is also producing a documentary and institutional archive documenting the development of Internet interconnection in Nigeria, including accounts from founders, former leaders, early members, technical professionals, regulators and industry partners.

The anniversary will culminate in the IXPN@20 Grand Gala Dinner and Excellence & Legacy Awards in Lagos on October 30, with awards across six categories covering founding members, content networks, data centre partnerships, Internet exchange development, government and regulation, and Internet journalism.

Rudman said the next 20 years would require broader interconnection, stronger network resilience and deeper investment in technical capacity.

“The next twenty years must be about extending that value even further, strengthening resilience, expanding interconnection, developing technical capacity, bringing more networks and institutions into the ecosystem, and ensuring that Nigeria is well positioned for the next phase of the digital economy,” he said.