Nigeria Hosts 15th African Peering & Interconnection Forum, Boosting Africa’s Internet Ecosystem
From August 19th to 21st, Nigeria will host the 15th African Peering & Interconnection Forum (AfPIF), bringing together over 500 industry leaders, policymakers, and experts from across Africa and beyond. The event, taking place at the Lagos Continental Hotel, marks a pivotal moment in strengthening Africa’s digital infrastructure and fostering regional cooperation.
Participants will delve into key topics such as infrastructure development, network interconnection, content hosting, and digital sovereignty. The forum aims to tackle challenges like high connectivity costs, limited cross-border infrastructure, and regional disparities, with a focus on enhancing internet resilience, performance, and accessibility across West Africa and the continent at large.
Organized by the African IXP Association (AFIX), with support from the Internet Society (ISOC) and hosted by Nigeria’s Internet Exchange Point (IXPN), Rack Centre, and AF-CIX, AfPIF serves as a strategic platform for stakeholders—including IXPs, data centers, submarine cable operators, cloud providers, government officials, and community networks—to collaborate on innovative solutions.
Kyle Spencer, Executive Director of AFIX, highlighted the event’s importance: “AfPIF has been instrumental in fostering local network interconnection and traffic exchange, which has driven investments in data centers, content hosting, and cross-border infrastructure. These developments are critical for reducing costs, improving performance, and advancing Africa’s digital sovereignty.”
Michuki Mwangi of the Internet Society emphasized the significance of Nigeria hosting this year’s event: “This is a milestone for Africa’s peering community. Lagos offers a unique platform to address infrastructure gaps, enhance regional connectivity, and reimagine the future of Africa’s Internet ecosystem.”
Muhammed Rudman, CEO of IXPN, expressed his enthusiasm: “Hosting AfPIF in Nigeria presents an excellent opportunity to strengthen collaboration, expand access, and foster innovation across the continent, especially for underserved communities.”
As Africa continues to evolve digitally, AfPIF in Lagos is poised to catalyze impactful initiatives that will shape the future of internet connectivity across Africa.