Nigeria to get Internet Exchange point soon

Imperative of Internet Exchange point was glaring to some political leaders as the second phase of summit ends in Tunis, including Nigeria.

Nigeria to get Internet Exchange soon

President Olusegun Obasanjo has directed the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to ensure that the nation gets its own Internet Exchange as soon as possible.
This is coming as the London’s Internet Exchange (LINX), has thrown its weight behind the United Nations organized World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) which ends in Tunis, Friday over creation of multi-internet exchange points.

No exchange point yet

President Obasanjo who was in Tunis for the second phase of WSIS gave this directive after a session on Internet Exchange point and infrastructural development.
According to the Executive Vice Chairman (EVC), NCC, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, who disclosed this to newsmen in Tunis after a session on Global Symposium for Regulators, said his office would do every thing possible to meet with the presidential directive.
Although he did not give a definite date when this would take off, Ndukwe also said that the exchange would boost Internet usability in the country and lower the cost of access to the populace.
Nigeria has witnessed evolutions in various aspects of the Information and Communications Technologies in last five years, but has not Internet exchange point.

What is Internet Exchange point
Internet Exchange Point is defined as a physical network infrastructure operated by a single entity whose purpose is to facilitate the exchange of Internet traffic between ISPs and it entails a minimum of there ISPs connected to each other.

LINX
Meanwhile, one of the world’s largest peering points, with about 200 Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and content network providers (CNP), the London’s Internet Exchange, has given support to the resolution made on the management of the Internet at the WSIS.
LINX, which on October 19 this year, became the first Internet Exchange in history to carry 100 Giga bits (Gbs) of traffic, agreed with Article 50B of WSIS on “Tunis Agenda,” calling for the strategic development of Internet Exchange Points to ensure affordable global connectivity and to improve equitable access for all.

Reinforcement
Sales and Marketing Manager of LINX, Ms. Vanessa Evans, said her organization welcomed the recommendation for creating national, sub-regional and regional Internet Exchange Points (IXPs).
“It directly reinforces the importance of the LINX business model. LINX has a rich history, as a founding member of EuroIX for supporting and developing local Exchange Points,” she said.
Ms Evans noted that IXP development is critical in areas such as Eastern Europe and Africa, where Exchanges foster local markets and enables digital inclusion.

Very pleased
Also, Regulation Director at LINX, Mr. Malcolm Hutty, said they are pleased that the importance of IXP development has been recognised and reinforced by the Tunis Agenda.
“Over the coming months and beyond, we will continue our ongoing efforts to reach out to regional IXPs, in order to offer our mutual support, experience and technical expertise,” he said.