Kenya takes a significant step in strengthening the regional Internet infrastructure. The Kenya Internet Exchange Point and iXAfrica data centers have signed a partnership. This collaboration establishes a new peering point of presence at iXAfrica’s NBOX1 facility, the only hyper-scale data center in East and Central Africa.
Facilitating interconnections and reducing latency across the region
East Africa’s population growth, reaching nearly 500 million inhabitants, and an Internet penetration rate above 35 %, create an unprecedented demand for reliable Internet services. The new infrastructure addresses this need by enabling direct interconnections between networks and reducing latency throughout the region.
The strategic implementation supports over 400 licensed operators while providing the essential infrastructure to deliver quality Internet services. This development particularly benefits local Internet service providers by reducing their reliance on costly international routes, resulting in cost savings that extend to end-users.
Addressing growing digital needs
The digital economy of the region presents promising growth potential, with projections exceeding 10 billion USD by 2025. This new point of presence lays the foundation for sustainable development by optimizing regional traffic management and enhancing network efficiency.
Fiona Asonga, CEO of TESPOK, highlights the importance of this partnership in building resilient Internet infrastructure for regional growth. This collaboration aims to ensure accessible and efficient Internet services while promoting digital inclusion across East Africa.
Sneha Shah, CEO of iXAfrica Data Centres, emphasizes the company’s commitment to regional digital transformation. This partnership strengthens iXAfrica’s position as the leading hyperscale data center in East and Central Africa, addressing the region’s growing digital needs.
Enhancing international internet performance
The initiative aligns with broader continental objectives, including the African Union’s Digital Transformation Strategy 2020-2030. By optimizing traffic routing and enhancing international Internet performance, the project increases East Africa’s attractiveness for global investments and technological progress.
Kenya’s position as a leader in digital innovation continues to strengthen through this development. The improved infrastructure facilitates better connections between hyperscalers and local networks. This improves content accessibility and service delivery. Consequently, Kenya positions itself as a crucial gateway for global cloud and data providers entering the African market.
The development of this regional interconnection has repercussions beyond East Africa’s borders. The optimized routing infrastructure enhances international Internet performance and strengthens the region’s position in the global digital ecosystem. As a result, it enables smoother cross-border communication and more efficient digital trade.
Strategic framework for digital transformation
The World Bank, in collaboration with other development partners and sector actors, helps Africa achieve its digital transformation. Within the International Development Association (IDA), technology is a cross-cutting theme covering three areas of action:
- Bridging the digital connectivity gap
- Investing in safe and open public digital infrastructure
- Helping countries access and use digital services
A series of World Bank projects have contributed to a 115 % increase in Internet users in Sub-Saharan Africa, from 19 % in 2016 to 36 % in 2021. The World Bank’s flagship initiative, Digital Economy for Africa (DE4A), supports the ambition to ensure that every individual, business, and government in Africa is equipped with digital tools by 2030. As part of the DE4A initiative, the World Bank has implemented 70 digitization projects in Africa since 2019. These programs aim to lay the foundation for a dynamic, secure, resilient, and inclusive digital economy, totaling 9 billion USD in 37 countries.
In 2023, a World Bank report revealed that in Nigeria and Tanzania, extreme poverty decreased by about 7 % after three years or more of exposure to Internet coverage, while labor market participation and salaried employment increased by up to 8 %.
