The achievement was recorded by the Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN), the nation’s premier internet exchange hub, which disclosed that peak local internet traffic crossed the 2Tbps threshold in March 2026 and has continued to rise, currently tracking above 2.3Tbps.

The latest figure, according to Mr. Muhammed Rudman, the chief executive officer of IXPN, who spoke at Tech Convergence 3.0 organised by the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA), represents a significant leap from the historic 1Tbps milestone achieved in April 2025.

The growth, he said, highlights the accelerating adoption of local content hosting, cloud services, digital platforms, and data localization initiatives across Nigeria.

Industry analysts say the growth reflects increasing confidence in Nigeria’s internet infrastructure and the success of efforts to keep internet traffic within the country rather than routing it through overseas networks.

According to IXPN data, more than 135 networks, including Internet Service Providers (ISPs), mobile network operators, fintech companies, educational institutions, cloud providers, and content delivery networks, are now interconnected through the exchange point.

For years, a substantial portion of internet traffic generated within Nigeria was routed through data centres in Europe and North America before returning to local users.

This arrangement increased costs, introduced latency, and created dependency on international bandwidth.

By enabling local networks to exchange traffic directly within Nigeria, IXPN has helped reduce operational costs, improve internet speed, enhance network resilience, and strengthen the country’s digital sovereignty.

The milestone is expected to have far-reaching implications for sectors such as digital banking, e-commerce, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, education technology, and online entertainment, all of which rely heavily on fast and reliable internet connectivity.

Industry experts also note that higher levels of traffic localization reduce pressure on foreign exchange requirements for international bandwidth purchases while encouraging greater investment in local data centres and content infrastructure.

The latest achievement continues a remarkable growth trajectory for IXPN.

In 2022, peak local internet traffic exceeded 300Gbps. By 2023, the figure had risen to 500Gbps, before reaching the landmark 1Tbps milestone in 2025.

The 2Tbps achievement effectively doubles that capacity within a year, making it one of the fastest growth periods in the history of Nigeria’s internet infrastructure development.

As demand for AI applications, video streaming, cloud services, 5G networks, and digital financial services continues to rise, industry stakeholders believe Nigeria’s internet traffic volumes will keep growing, further cementing the country’s position as one of Africa’s most important digital economies.

For Nigeria, the 2Tbps milestone is more than a technical achievement, it is a reflection of the country’s increasing digital maturity and a strong indicator that investments in local internet infrastructure are beginning to yield measurable economic and technological benefits.

This version is structured as a Techeconomy news feature with context, significance, and historical progression rather than a straightforward rewrite.

This development marks a significant milestone in strengthening Nigeria’s digital infrastructure and elevating West Africa’s connectivity.

Building on IXPN’s existing PoP at Digital Realty’s campus located in Victoria Island, the newly activated PoP at the company’s Lekki data center extends IXPN’s reach, offering access from 12 data centers across Nigeria. IXPN is now uniquely available in all major data centers in Lagos, further positioning Lagos as a hub for local and regional interconnectivity.

Strategically located, Digital Realty’s Lekki data center serves as the landing point for the 2Africa subsea cable system, one of the world’s most expansive subsea cable projects, linking over 46 locations throughout Africa, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.

This can deliver reliable, high-speed connectivity and can help enhance Nigeria’s role in the global digital economy.

With the opening of Digital Realty’s Lekki data center alongside its campus in Victoria Island, Digital Realty became the first carrier-neutral data center provider in Lagos to operate two campuses, offering enhanced resilience and disaster recovery options for the industry.

With improved access to IXPN at the Digital Realty’s Lekki campus, networks and service providers can benefit from expanded, resilient public peering options.

These enhancements can reduce latency, improve efficiency, support robust data exchange for content providers and cloud platforms, and enable enterprises to meet growing demands both locally and internationally.

“This activation at our Lekki campus represents a deepening of Digital Realty commitment to connecting the local and regional digital economy to global networks,” said Ike Nnamani, managing director, Digital Realty in Nigeria. “By integrating IXPN’s exchange point, we are delivering resilient peering that enables lower latency and can increase operational efficiency for our customers.”

For IXPN, the move supports its expanding community of over 130 peering members – spanning ISPs, global content, and cloud operators – delivering greater resilience and more efficient local internet traffic exchange.

“Expanding IXPN to Digital Realty’s Lekki campus is a significant step in our journey to enhance connectivity across Nigeria,” said Muhammed Rudman, CEO, IXPN. “Our members are expected to benefit from faster, low-latency pathways, allowing broader digital inclusion and fueling Nigeria’s digital economy,” Rudman continued.

IXPN continues to play a pivotal role in localising internet traffic, a key factor in performance improvements and cost reductions. Peak domestic internet traffic at IXPN surpassed 1 terabit per second (Tbps) in April 2025 and grew to over 2 Tbps by March 2026, demonstrating IXPN’s significant role in local traffic exchange.

Industry data shows that keeping traffic local reduces latency, boosts connectivity speeds, and delivers substantial annual savings for ISPs and content providers.

The figure represents a 16% increase from 2024 and more than double the volume recorded in 2020, according to data released by DE-CIX, the world’s largest Internet Exchange operator.

Driven by live sports streaming, AI workloads, cloud services, and billions of connected devices, the scale of traffic growth highlights how digital infrastructure is increasingly becoming as vital as physical infrastructure to modern economies.

To put the number in context, 79 exabytes is equivalent to streaming a full HD football match continuously for 2.2 million years.

Why This Matters: The Internet Exchange Effect

At the heart of this growth are Internet Exchanges, which allow networks, content providers, telecom operators, and cloud platforms to exchange traffic locally rather than routing it across continents. This not only reduces latency and cost but also improves reliability, resilience, and user experience.

This global trend mirrors developments closer to home. In Nigeria, the Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN) last year crossed a historic 1 terabit per second (Tbps) domestic traffic milestone, a development widely seen as a turning point for the country’s digital ecosystem.

The parallel is clear: as global IX hubs scale to handle exponential traffic growth, local IXPs like IXPN are becoming strategic national assets, enabling countries to retain traffic locally, strengthen digital sovereignty, and unlock economic value.

Live Events, AI and Peak Traffic Moments

Europe’s largest Internet Exchange, DE-CIX Frankfurt, recorded 48 EB of traffic in 2025, up 6% from the previous year.

The busiest day, 9 December 2025, coincided with a UEFA Champions League matchday featuring clubs such as Barcelona, Inter Milan, and Liverpool.

At peak, global throughput hit 26.99 terabits per second (Tbit/s), while Frankfurt alone reached a record 18.73 Tbit/s.

DE-CIX notes that if the data exchanged in just one second at peak were printed on paper, the stack would be 21 times higher than Mount Everest.

This pattern of traffic spikes from live sports and major events reflects what IXPN has observed locally: as more Nigerian users stream live content, use cloud-based platforms, and adopt AI-powered services, domestic traffic volumes continue to rise sharply.

Nigeria’s IXPN in a Global Context

IXPN’s 1Tbps milestone places Nigeria firmly within a global movement where Internet Exchanges are no longer passive infrastructure, but active enablers of innovation, fintech growth, AI deployment, and digital inclusion.

By keeping local traffic local, IXPN helps Nigerian banks, fintechs, content platforms, ISPs, and enterprises deliver faster services at lower costs, while reducing dependence on expensive international bandwidth.

As DE-CIX CEO Ivo Ivanov noted:

“The growth in global data traffic is being driven by streaming, AI workloads, billions of connected devices, and the rise of remote and hybrid work… resilient, high-capacity digital infrastructure has never been more critical.”

For Nigeria, IXPN represents that resilient backbone, quietly supporting everything from video calls and e-commerce to digital payments and government services.

Emerging Digital Hubs Echo Nigeria’s Trajectory

Beyond Europe, DE-CIX reports strong growth across North America, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America. North American traffic rose to 11 EB, while hubs in Madrid and Dubai each recorded 2.7 EB.

Southeast Asia grew by 140%, reaching 1.2 EB, reflecting the rapid rise of younger digital economies.

These developments mirror Nigeria’s trajectory, where local internet traffic growth is increasingly decoupled from international transit, signalling maturity in the country’s digital infrastructure.

The Bigger Picture

As global data volumes race toward the 100-exabyte mark, the story is no longer just about scale, it is about where traffic flows, how efficiently it is exchanged, and who controls the infrastructure.

From Frankfurt to Lagos, Internet Exchanges are emerging as the invisible engines of the digital economy.

And with IXPN’s 1Tbps milestone, Nigeria is no longer just consuming the internet, it is actively shaping its digital future from within.

In a presentation delivered on behalf of Mr. Muhammed Rudman, the MD/CEO of IXPN, by Mr. Uchechukwu Ugwuanyi, assistant general manager, Network, the IXPN revealed startling data regarding the hidden environmental cost of Nigeria’s digital revolution.

Ugwuanyi highlighted the impressive trajectory of Nigeria’s internet landscape, noting that internet users have surged from 64 million in 2013 to 139 million as of December 2024.

He further noted that while Lagos had zero Tier III data centers 15 years ago, the city now boasts about seven, with more under construction.

However, the IXPN boss warned that this growth comes with a heavy price tag.

“What is often invisible is the hardware churn,” Ugwuanyi stated. “Growth requires more equipment, energy, and materials. But frequent replacements of routers, switches, and servers create a massive stream of e-waste.”

He described this as a sustainability paradox, where faster technology leads to shorter device lifespans (typically 3-5 years), which in turn generates more waste.

With the world producing over 60 million tonnes of e-waste in 2024, of which less than 25% was formally recycled, the stakes for Nigeria are incredibly high.

Despite the grim global statistics, Mr. Rudman’s message offered a unique strategic insight: Nigeria’s infrastructure deficit is actually an opportunity.

“Nigeria’s digital build-out is young,” Ugwuanyi explained. “This is a chance to build green from the start.”

He noted that because 99% of internet users in Nigeria are on mobile, a significant portion of the heavy infrastructure; data centers, ISPs, and fiber networks, is yet to be built.

This gives Nigerian operators the chance to adopt “Green Procurement” policies now, favoring vendors with sustainability reporting and longer hardware lifecycles, rather than trying to retrofit dirty networks later.

The presentation then outlined a practical roadmap for sustainable infrastructure for network operators and data centers to mitigate this crisis immediately. This roadmap includes three key areas:

First, the industry must Extend Hardware Lifecycles, moving away from discarding equipment solely due to age. Ugwuanyi advocated for refurbishing and redeploying older gear to secondary roles and purchasing certified refurbished equipment where performance allows.

Second, regarding Energy Efficiency, operators were urged to source partial renewables, such as solar offsets, and use low-power ASICs and optics to reduce carbon footprints.

Finally, the IXPN called for Transparency, asking operators to publish sustainability metrics alongside their standard uptime and traffic statistics, making environmental performance a key performance indicator.

Addressing the policy landscape, the presentation acknowledged that while the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) regulates e-waste, “enforcement gaps persist.” The IXPN urged operators not to wait for regulation but to proactively support policy by working only with certified recyclers and demanding vendor take-back options to ensure traceability.

Closing the presentation, Ugwuanyi reminded the stakeholders that the internet is not a cloud-based abstraction but a physical machine.

“The Internet’s infrastructure is physical, it has weight, it consumes power, and when it dies, it becomes waste,” he said. “A sustainable Internet isn’t just about connecting more people… it’s about how responsibly we shed the devices we discard, so they don’t pollute the future we’re trying to build.”

Speaking at the 2025 ITREALMS E-Waste Dialogue organised by ITREALMS Media group, with the theme “Nigeria: Recycle Your E-Waste It’s Critical” Ugbechie described e-waste as a “crucial national emergency,” stressing that Nigerians must be made to understand the economic value hidden in discarded electronic devices.

“The global value of e-waste is about $58 billion. Every piece of e-waste is cash. This thing you are throwing away, this thing you see as refuse, has value. And when you put value to something, you don’t trash it,” he said.

Ken Ugbechie criticised Nigeria’s deepening “show-off” and disposable consumption habits, pointing out that many consumers replace devices not out of necessity but to appear trendy.

“We are stupendously extravagant as a people. You buy a phone today, two months later you throw it away to buy another just to show you are in town. Manufacturers exploit this behaviour and know exactly where to dump inferior products,” he noted.

He warned that this behavioural pattern not only encourages reckless disposal but also incentivises the importation of substandard electronics into the Nigerian market.

Ugbechie further highlighted the severe health dangers associated with unmanaged e-waste, noting that toxic substances such as mercury and lead seep into the soil and water systems.

“E-waste is carcinogenic. When these substances wash into our environment, they enter our lungs and skin. That is why cancer and related diseases are rising, especially among the younger population,” he said.

He called on government agencies to professionalise e-waste handling and ensure harmful materials do not continue to contaminate the environment.

While acknowledging NESREA’s regulatory mandate, Ugbechie insisted that the agency must expand its public awareness efforts and create a structured ecosystem of collectors and recyclers.

“NESREA has to create different layers of people who can pick up e-waste. But most importantly, there must be continuous enlightenment. The behavioural pattern of the people is what drives this crisis,” he said.

Ugbechie ended with a call: “NESREA needs to increase its budget for media and publicity. Without massive enlightenment, this crisis will continue.”

The 2025 ITREALMS E-Waste Dialogue continued to spotlight the urgent need for coordinated national action, stronger regulation, and sustained environmental education to curb Nigeria’s fast-worsening e-waste problem.

This year’s dialogue was supported by the ALTON, NCC, IXPN, NLNG, NESREA and EPRON while students from several schools were in attendance including ReapVille Schools, St Joachim College, Upland College and Stigal Int’l Schools among other stakeholders.

Speaking during a presentation at the African Tech Alliance (AfriTECH 5.0) Forum on Thursday last week, Rudman explained that local traffic exchange, where ISPs, content providers, and networks exchange data within Nigeria rather than routing it through international paths, remains the backbone of a modern, efficient internet economy.

He noted that Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) enable this by ensuring that data generated in Nigeria stays within the country, leading to faster connectivity, better user experience, and significant cost savings.

Rudman emphasised that the most visible benefit for users is dramatically reduced latency.

According to him, internet traffic routed abroad often travels through undersea cables to Europe before returning to Nigeria, resulting in delays between 150ms and 300ms. However, with local peering at IXPN, latency drops to as low as 5ms to 10ms.

“This is the difference between a frozen video call and a smooth one,” Rudman said. “For real-time applications like gaming, fintech transactions, and cloud services, milliseconds matter.”

He added that lower latency boosts productivity for businesses and enhances the performance of modern digital tools.

Rudman listed data sovereignty as another critical benefit of keeping traffic local, and explained that when Nigerian data is forced to travel through foreign infrastructures, it exposes the country to unnecessary security and surveillance risks.

“Local traffic exchange keeps Nigerian data protected under Nigerian laws and reduces exposure to foreign interception,” he stated.

He also stressed that maintaining local routing is essential for continuity during cable cuts. “If an undersea cable fails, locally hosted services, such as .ng websites and email, continue running normally,” he added.

Citing a major milestone, Rudman revealed that the Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria has recently crossed 2 terabits per second (Tbps) in peak domestic traffic, and described this as evidence of the rapid localisation of Nigerian internet traffic, with some members already achieving up to 70% traffic localisation.

According to him, this growth has saved the Nigerian economy hundreds of millions of dollars in international bandwidth costs, positioned Lagos as a digital hub for West Africa, and provided the foundation for local innovation in fintech, media, cloud services, and more.

“A fast, cheap, and reliable internet is the platform upon which new digital businesses are built,” he said.

Rudman urged policymakers, telecom operators, businesses, and global content providers to deepen their commitment to local peering, and recommended that government recognises IXPs as critical national infrastructure, mandate public-sector peering, and create policies that incentivise local hosting.

He further noted that while Telecoms and Internet Service Providers (ISPs) peer more aggressively to strengthen the ecosystem, content providers such as Google, Meta, Netflix, and the rest, deploy more local caches.

While urging businesses to choose ISPs that participate in local exchange and adopt Nigeria’s online identity such as .ng, the IXPN Chief Executive posited that local traffic exchange is no longer a technical luxury but a cornerstone of Nigeria’s digital sovereignty, economic competitiveness, and national security.

“Local traffic exchange is the foundation for a faster, safer, and more sovereign digital future,” he said.

The fifth edition of the Africa Tech Alliance Forum, (AfriTECH 5.0), which held on Thursday, November 13, 2025, at the Oriental Hotel, Lagos, had as its theme, “AI & Sovereign Tech: Building Africa’s Digital Independence.”

Iloka, who made a presentation at the Nigeria Network Operators Group (NGNOG) Conference recently in Abuja on “Nigeria ASN Analysis 2025 – Insight into Network Growth Distribution and Connectivity Trends,” disclosed that the majority of ASNs are concentrated in Lagos, Abuja, Rivers, Kano, Oyo, Ogun, and Osun.

These cities, according to him serve as primary digital and commercial hubs, a concentration which highlighted significant regional disparities in network access.

Iloka’s analysis revealed a fluctuating growth trend in Nigeria’s ASN count over the past three years. The total number of ASNs dropped from 269 in 2023 to 256 in 2024, a 4.8% decline.

However, the count has since rebounded to 271 in 2025, indicating a healthy growth of 5.9% from the previous year. This rebound suggests an expansion in internet services, likely driven by increased demand for digital services or existing network upgrades.

Despite the recent growth, the report underscores a significant gap when comparing Nigeria to other nations. Autonomous System Numbers (ASNs) allocated to a country are a key indicator of its internet infrastructure development and connectivity.

Nigeria currently holds 271 ASNs. In contrast, South Africa leads the continent with 742 ASNs. Globally, Germany ranks 7th with over 3,100 ASNs, while Brazil leads all nations with over 9,000 ASNs, showcasing its highly advanced internet infrastructure.

Furthermore, Africa as a whole has only 2,452 ASNs, according to AFRINIC records, which calls for intense continental digital infrastructure development. These figures clearly highlight the urgent need for sustained investment and development in Nigeria’s internet infrastructure.

The Nigeria ASN Analysis 2025 offered several key positive observations: 15 new ASN allocations point to an ongoing expansion in Nigeria’s digital infrastructure, and with only one ASN delisting in 2025, the country shows improved stability in ASN management.

The new ASNs are held by a diverse range of organizations, including ISPs, enterprises, and financial institutions, which showcases a diverse and maturing digital ecosystem.

However, the analysis concluded that the concentration remains a core challenge. While there is gradual expansion, the majority of networks are still concentrated in key commercial hubs, leaving 15 states still lacking active ASNs.

Iloka stressed that the ASN landscape in Nigeria reflects a maturing Internet ecosystem, one that’s expanding in diversity, capacity, and strategic significance.

He concluded by calling for action:

“To fully harness its potential, there is a need for stronger regional participation, improved interconnectivity, and sustained collaboration across networks to drive true digital inclusion and national resilience,” he said.

Leading the lineup are the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), consumer tech brand itel, global data infrastructure leader Digital Realty, connectivity solutions provider SKOT Communications, and the Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN).

Set to be held on November 13th, 2025 at Oriental Hotel, Lekki, Lagos, under the theme “AI and Sovereign Tech: Building Africa’s Digital Independence,” AfriTECH 5.0 will spotlight the power of homegrown solutions and global partnerships in driving Africa’s technological growth.

The diversity of sponsors reflects the ecosystem AfriTECH champions: regulators led by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC); consumer enablers (itel), infrastructure giants (Digital Realty Nigeria), communications providers (SKOT Communications), and critical backbone operators – the Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN).

Together, their support underscores how collaboration between regulation, innovation, and infrastructure is vital to Africa’s future.

“Each partner represents a piece of the puzzle in Africa’s digital transformation,” said Mr. Chike Onwuegbuchi, co-convener of Africa Tech Alliance Forum (AfriTECH). “From regulation to infrastructure, from consumer access to data exchange, AfriTECH 5.0 is where these synergies come alive.”

This year’s forum promises high-level debates, solution-driven panels, and networking that connects decision-makers, entrepreneurs, and innovators committed to accelerating Africa’s digital independence.

In addition to the conference sessions and exhibitions, this year’s edition will feature the Africa Tech Alliance Excellence Award (ATAEx 2025), a prestigious award ceremony that celebrates outstanding innovation, leadership, and contributions to Africa’s digital economy.

More details here.

On stage sat a powerhouse panel: Meta, Open Access Data Centres, Airtel Africa, Digital Realty, Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN), and TeleGeography, all with one mission: to unlock faster, more reliable content delivery for millions of Nigerians.

The session, aptly titled “Content at the Edge: Unlocking Faster and More Reliable Experiences”, followed a keynote by Meta’s Michelle Opiyo, who spotlighted the company’s growing edge infrastructure across Africa. From there, the discussion unraveled into an honest look at Nigeria’s unique challenges—and its immense opportunities.

Nigeria’s Demographic Advantage

Meta’s Ben Ryall painted the big picture: “Nigeria is Africa’s largest country by population, and its youth are hungry for content. The split between enterprise demand and young content-driven consumers is a goldmine for local CDNs and tailored strategies.”

The Bottlenecks: Pricing and Distribution

But the road isn’t smooth. IXPN’s Muhammed Rudman recalled early conversations with Netflix: “Back in 2007, they didn’t see the ROI. Today, subsea cables have brought traffic to Lagos, but outside the city, costs are still too high.”

In Lagos, bandwidth can be as cheap as $1 per Mbps, but beyond the city limits, the price jumps to around $30. For Digital Realty’s Ikechukwu Nnamani, this mismatch is a Catch-22: “The market won’t mature without investment, but investors want to see maturity first.”

Rethinking Models: From Sachets to Ecosystems

Dr. Ayotunde Coker, CEO of Open Access Data Centres, challenged the industry to embrace Africa’s informal economy with “sachet pricing”, daily or weekly data access.

He also noted that colocation facilities are evolving: “We’re building ecosystems where creators, carriers, and CDNs meet, not just renting out power and space.”

Fiber Cuts and the Latency Dilemma

Still, Nigeria’s fragile infrastructure looms large. In just 18 months, 13,000 fibre cuts were recorded, according to data shared at the forum.

MTN already runs 25,000km of fibre, while government plans to push that to 90,000km, but more fibre also means more exposure to disruption.

Rudman warned that Lagos alone cannot bear Nigeria’s digital load: “If your game downloads are only cached in Lagos, users in Kano will still suffer. We have to go inward.”

Expanding the Edge

Meta is already taking that advice to heart. Beyond its Lagos Point of Presence (PoP), the company is building a second PoP in Port Harcourt to serve the South-South. IXPN, too, is preparing to expand interconnection deeper into the regions, urging mobile operators to peer beyond Lagos.

A Call for Collaboration

The session closed on a note of unity. The panelists agreed: infrastructure is coming, but it won’t be enough without coordinated investment, ecosystem collaboration, and regulatory support.

“This is more than fibre and data centres,” Nnamani concluded. “This is about bringing content closer to the people. The hyperscalers, the platforms, the carriers, it’s time for all of us to step up together.”

The 15th edition of AfPIF ended with optimism, but also a challenge: Nigeria’s digital future won’t be built by one player alone. The edge must be conquered, together.

This call was made by Dr. Jimson Olufuye, principal consultant at Kontemporary Konsulting Ltd and Chairman of the 2025 Nigeria DigitalSENSE Africa Forum on Internet Governance for Development.

The call was made during the forum held at the Welcome Centre Hotels, MM International Airport Road, Lagos, on Thursday, June 19.

The Nigeria DigitalSENSE Forum series, hosted by the internet corporation for assigned names and numbers (ICANN) certified At-Large Structure (ALS), DigitalSENSE Africa, under the Africa Regional At-Large Organization (AFRALO), is powered by ITREALMS Media.

The WSIS review aims to assess progress made since the summit’s initial outcomes in 2003 and 2005, focusing on key areas such as digital divides, internet governance, and sustainable development.

Olufuye also encouraged Nigeria’s ICT stakeholders to participate in the review process, sharing their experiences and insights to shape the country’s digital future.

By engaging in the WSIS review process, Olufuye who is member of the United Nations’ Multistakeholder Advisory Group, said, Nigeria’s ICT stakeholders could contribute to shaping the country’s digital landscape and ensuring that the benefits of technology are equitably distributed.

The stakeholders have also been urged to explore opportunities for collaboration and partnership to drive technological development and economic growth.

The WSIS review process, he underscored, is expected to culminate in future high-level events, where world leaders and ICT stakeholders will gather to review progress and outline future directions.

This event will provide a platform for stakeholders to discuss key issues, such as digital divide, Internet Governance, cyber security among others.

In addition to fostering the Sustainable Development by leveraging digital technologies to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

He recalls that some countries have already conducted WSIS reviews, providing valuable lessons and insights for Nigeria.

In 2015, he recalled that there was  a WSIS+10 Review by the UN General Assembly to conduct a ten-year review of the WSIS outcomes, which reaffirmed the WSIS principles and called for a further review by the Assembly in 2025, hence countries like Nigeria should take the review seriously.

Olufuye further pointed out that by participating in the WSIS review process, Nigeria’s ICT stakeholders could help shape the country’s digital future and ensure that the benefits of technology are equitably distributed.

Welcoming participants earlier, the Lead Consulting Strategist, DigitalSENSE Africa and Group of ITREALMS Media group, Ogbuefi Remmy Nweke noted that the 16th annual forum began since 2009, which has continued to rally Internet stakeholders to address challenges in Internet Governance, security, and socio-economic impact, focusing on students, youth, women, and community-based organizations.

Focus, this year, he said, was on the Global Digital Compact (GDC), a globally significant UN initiative that demands global effort and urged Nigeria to take lead in this transformation, at least from the African continent.

“The GDC calls us to commit to bridging digital divides, inclusive digital economy, open, safe, and secure digital space; international data governance and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to name a few,” he said.

Nweke also appreciated participation of esteemed speakers, including Dr. Jimson Olufuye, Mr. Muhammed Rudman, Mr. Gbenga Sesan and Mrs. Tinuade Oguntuyi, among others.

NDSF 2025, he said, was hosted in partnership with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) via the African At-Large Regional Organisation (AFRALO), Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN), Internet Society Nigeria chapter, NLNG, NNPCL, Digital Realty, and Nigeria Computer Society (NCS), among others.