Telecom
AF-CIX Partners DE-CIX to Improve Internet Performance for Businesses in Nigeria
AF-CIX, the new interconnection platform recently launched in Nigeria to boost Internet speed and improve network performance for Internet Service Providers, Content Delivery Networks, Cloud Providers and Enterprises, has entered into a strategic partnership with DE-CIX, the leading operator of Internet Exchanges in the world to improve internet performance for businesses in Nigeria.
The platform hosted in Rack Centre – as part of innovations to support the growth of the Internet in Africa through effective and functional traffic localization, enterprise digitization acceleration, and community support, among other reasons – is specifically designed to complement the existing network infrastructure providers’ by providing a redundant path for local traffic exchange and a robust Interconnect Exchange through its partnership with DE-CIX, the leading operator of Internet Exchanges in the world.
According to Obinna Adumike, head of Peering and Exchange Platforms for AF-CIX, creating the platform became necessary to improve network performance by keeping traffic local, thereby reducing the number of networks hops that Internet traffic needs to take.
He explained that AF-CIX connects networks by eliminating the need to route traffic through international circuits, thereby making the Internet faster and more responsive for users and resulting in lower latency and higher performance.
“The millions of users in Nigeria deserve digital services of state-of-the-art quality. This requires the best local infrastructure possible.
“DE-CIX is delighted to contribute to this to serve the broader need for interconnection, with modern interconnection services designed for businesses such as cloud connectivity,” explains Ivo Ivanov, CEO of DE-CIX.
“This will unleash the potential of the Nigerian digital economy by providing better performance and user experience of content and applications, and affordable and high-quality Internet access for enterprises and individuals.”
The integration of AF-CIX into the DE-CIX interconnection ecosystem will further help Nigerian businesses have direct access to the portfolio of DE-CIX services and connected networks, thereby offering them access to thousands of networks in over 100 countries. With the platform, participants or businesses would enjoy access to the largest aggregation of Cloud, content, and CDN providers worldwide with direct integration to close to 20 Interconnection platforms across the globe.
Commenting on the benefits of connecting to the platform, Adumike noted that any business linked to it would undoubtedly witness improved network performance, increased connectivity, lower costs, and better security, with exceptional interconnection services, and an updated and advanced approach to traffic engineering and management.
“Connection to AF-CIX means a lot to every participant given that benefits such as cross-connection, peering, and port access to the platform are obtained freely at Rack Centre. Distributed Denial of Service (DDOS) attacks are mitigated through the platforms integrated, advanced Blackholing service.
“The platform is also developed for localization of the Internet, enhancing services like Root DNS servers and NTP Stratum servers,” he added.
The platform is set to provide for a future of converged interconnection across Internet players, offering seamless opportunities to interconnect locally across verticals for various sectors or industries.
Clean and reliable power for telecom networks in Ethiopia, Liberia, and Sierra Leone will be expanded following a $45 million investment by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) in IPT PowerTech.
The investment targets countries where limited power supply continues to slow digital connectivity and broader economic participation, the institution stated earlier this week.
To enable this expansion, the IFC is providing a $45 million corporate financing package consisting of an A-loan of $27 million and $18 million in blended finance.
The blended portion is sourced from the Canada-IFC Blended Climate Finance Programme and the IDA20 Private Sector Window Blended Finance Facility.
The initiative marks the IFC’s first direct infrastructure engagement in Liberia in a decade and in Sierra Leone in six years.
It will help scale solar- and battery-based power systems that reduce reliance on diesel and support greener, more resilient telecom networks.
By improving the quality and stability of power to telecom towers, the initiative will strengthen mobile coverage and ensure that households, schools, health centres, and small businesses can depend on consistent digital services, said the IFC.
The funding supports the modernisation, operation, and maintenance of 2 235 telecom sites across the three nations. More than 90% of these are located in off-grid or weak-grid locations.
With new solar and battery systems powering these sites, mobile networks will experience fewer outages and improved service quality.
Optimising the energy mix is estimated to reduce power costs for operators by up to 30% in Liberia, 26% in Sierra Leone, and 52% in Ethiopia.
This transition is also expected to cut emissions by more than 10 624 tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. Furthermore, the partnership will promote gender inclusion by expanding opportunities for women in technical, operational, and leadership roles within the sector, says the IFC.
This agreement reflects a shared vision for a greener telecom industry and empowers the company to scale its innovative energy platforms, according to Nabil Haddad, CEO of IPT PowerTech Group.
Reliable and affordable power for telecom networks is a cornerstone of Africa’s digital transformation, said Nathalie Kouassi-Akon, IFC regional director for West Africa and the Gulf of Guinea.
Through this partnership, the institution is supporting a scalable, private sector-led solution that enables mobile operators to reach underserved and fragile communities more sustainably, added Kouassi-Akon.
The project advances the World Bank Group and African Development Bank’s Mission 300 initiative, which aims to provide electricity to 300 million Africans by 2030.
Expedier has unveiled “Expedier for Business,” an online pro-banking platform to simplify global payments, multi-currency transactions, and financial operations for expanding companies.
Kingsley Madu
The tool centralizes payments, invoicing, payroll, and treasury into one secure dashboard, tackling challenges like fragmented systems and poor visibility that hinder international scaling.
Kingsley Madu, Co-Founder and CEO of Expedier, said: “African businesses are increasingly global… Expedier for Business was built to simplify how companies manage money across borders while maintaining visibility, control, and compliance.”
Key features include customizable dashboards for payments, invoices, and workflows; support for USD, CAD, GBP, EUR, and more; virtual cards; automated payroll/invoicing; currency swaps; and real-time tracking.
Security measures cover two-factor authentication, KYC/KYB verification, and team access controls.
As cross-border trade and remote work boom in Africa, the platform aids firms dealing with international suppliers, teams, and customers. It is now available for organizations scaling globally.
Nigerian fintech unicorn Moniepoint Inc. has finalised its acquisition of a 78% stake in Kenya’s Sumac Microfinance Bank, gaining a key deposit-taking licence for credit expansion in East Africa’s biggest economy.
The deal, marked by a Nairobi reception, bypasses the Central Bank of Kenya’s licence freeze, letting Moniepoint rival giants like Safaricom and Equity Group after a stalled Kopo Kopo bid.
It signals Africa’s fintech shift to licensed banking and mergers, equipping Moniepoint to roll out high-speed SME lending via Sumac’s 20-year-old infrastructure and branches.
The acquisition builds a cross-border merchant ecosystem beyond fees, integrating recent Orda buyout (cloud restaurant software) for “business-in-a-box” tools like inventory, payroll, and capital amid Kenya’s digital lending scrutiny.
Moniepoint, which hit $294 billion annualised transactions in 2025, eyes Kenya’s SMEs with Nigeria-honed retail expertise.
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