Africa’s Tech Boom Starts at Home
Sally Wentworth Twenty-one years ago, if someone in Lagos wanted to send an email to someone in Abuja – a distance of about seven hundred sixty kilometres – that email
In 2010, the African Peering and Interconnection Forum was established to address the issue of African Internet traffic taking a circuitous route overseas, causing high costs and slow connections. Thanks to the collective efforts of network operators, technical experts, and policymakers, significant infrastructure improvements have been made to keep local African Internet traffic local. This progress has been largely driven by Nigerian commitment and collaboration.
As of today, over 70 Internet exchange points exist across Africa, and Internet penetration has risen from less than 10% in 2010 to over 38%. Africa is also home to some of the world's best technical leadership and a thriving ecosystem rooted in civil society.
The latest African Peering and Interconnection Forum took place in Lagos, promoting the development of national and cross-border interconnection. The upcoming Forum in Kigali next week will build upon this momentum. Key to Africa's potential in the global digital economy are three crucial factors.
First, strengthening a robust and united African technical community is essential. This includes data center operators, fiber providers, and hardware builders, who must fortify connections and foster a thriving community both within African countries and across borders.
Second, ensuring affordable, reliable, and resilient Internet access for all remains paramount. Despite Africa's progress, a third of the world still lacks Internet access. The high cost of smartphones and mobile Internet in Africa is a significant barrier, with mobile Internet being 14 times more expensive than in Europe.
Lastly, safeguarding online safety, security, and privacy is vital. Cyber threats and surveillance by governments pose significant challenges. The Internet Society's Nigeria Chapter has made significant strides in addressing this issue, equipping over 2,500 Nigerians with cybersecurity skills in February.
Africa's 1.5 billion people have the potential to fully benefit from a truly connected continent, with the young, dynamic population ready to lead the next wave of global innovation.
Written by urgent.news from This Day's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
