Intelligence Brief: Africa Launches Its Own Internet System, Breaking Free from Western Control
Ujasusi Blog’s African Strategic Security Desk | 10 September 2025 | 2340 BST
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Executive Summary
Africa has launched its own internet system, marking a major step toward digital independence. The Continental Internet Exchange (CIX) became operational in early September 2025 after years of planning by African Union member states. This move fundamentally changes how the internet works in Africa, reducing dependence on routing through European and American networks while creating a self-sufficient digital system for the continent.
Why Africa Needed Its Own Internet
Before now, Africa's internet worked in a strange way. When someone in Lagos, Nigeria, sent an email to someone in Nairobi, Kenya, that message would first travel to internet servers in London or Frankfurt, then back to Kenya. This roundabout journey made the internet slower and more expensive for Africans.
The African Union created the African Internet Exchange System (AXIS) project to fix this problem. The African Union Commission signed an agreement withthe Luxembourg Development Agency to support the project, with funding from the EU-Africa Infrastructure Trust Fund and the Government of Luxembourg.
This inefficient routing didn't just slow things down - it also meant that African internet communications were passing through foreign countries, raising concerns about privacy and control over African data.
How Africa's New Internet Works
The Continental Internet Exchange operates through a network of Internet Exchange Points (IXPs) placed strategically across the continent. An Internet exchange point allows local networks to share information efficiently at a common point within a country, rather than sending local internet traffic overseas.
Progress has been significant in building these critical connection points. According to a May 2024 study by the Coalition for Digital Africa, there are 63 operational IXPs in 38 countries, up from just 36 in 26 countries in 2016. However, 16 countries still don't have these essential infrastructure pieces.
The new system includes several key parts:
National Internet Exchange Points: Local hubs within each African Union member state
Regional Internet Hubs: Strategic connection points serving multiple countries
Regional Internet Carriers: Dedicated infrastructure for moving data across the continent
Backup Fibre Networks: Multiple pathway options to keep the network running if one fails
The system is built with backups and resilience in mind, learning from global incidents like submarine cable breaks that have historically affected continental connectivity.
Money Savings and Economic Impact
The economic benefits of the Continental Internet Exchange are huge, especially in addressing Africa's historically high internet costs. According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the cost of fixed internet still represented 14.8% of gross national income per capita in Africa, compared to 4.48% for mobile internet.
By keeping internet traffic within Africa, the CIX eliminates expensive international bandwidth costs that came from routing through overseas exchange points. This cost reduction strategy directly translates to lower operating expenses for Internet Service Providers, which can potentially pass savings to regular users.
Economic benefits include:
Faster Internet: Quicker data transmission improves user experience and enables real-time applications
Lower Costs: Elimination of expensive international transit fees
More Competition: Local routing options reduce monopolistic practices
Digital Innovation: Better connectivity fostering local tech entrepreneurship
Foreign Exchange Savings: Reduced dependency on hard currency for international bandwidth
Political and Strategic Importance
The African Union unveiled the Continental Internet Exchange (CIX), a parallel internet infrastructure designed not in the image of Western corporations, but for Africans themselves. This development represents more than technical advancement - it's a strategic move toward digital independence with major political implications.
The CIX challenges the current internet system, dominated by Western infrastructure and corporations. The old system required African internet traffic to pass through European and North American exchange points, subjecting continental communications to foreign laws and potential surveillance.
Key strategic benefits:
Data Control: African-generated data stays within continental boundaries
Less Foreign Dependence: Decreased reliance on international bandwidth providers
Better Security: Reduced exposure to external interception and manipulation
Economic Independence: Continental control over digital infrastructure investments
Cultural Preservation: Infrastructure designed to support African languages and cultural contexts
Early Results and Market Response
The market response to the Continental Internet Exchange has been significant, with recent reports suggesting rapid user adoption in the initial days following its launch in early September 2025. This pace of adoption, if confirmed, would demonstrate significant pent-up demand for locally-oriented internet services and infrastructure.
Major technology companies are adapting their strategies to work with this new reality. Content providers, cloud services, and social media platforms are establishing local presence within the CIX ecosystem to maintain competitive positioning and reduce delays for African users.
The adoption pattern shows several key trends:
User Preference: Strong preference for locally-hosted services and content
Performance Benefits: Noticeable improvements in connection speeds and reliability
Cost Sensitivity: African users responding to more affordable internet options
Cultural Relevance: Increased engagement with locally-relevant digital content
Challenges and Problems to Solve
Despite its strategic importance and early success, the Continental Internet Exchange faces several challenges:
Technical Problems:
Infrastructure gaps in 16 countries without operational IXPs
Different technical standards across various national implementations
Complexity of integrating existing national networks
Shortage of skilled workers for advanced network operations
Money Issues:
High upfront costs for comprehensive infrastructure deployment
Ongoing operational expenses for network maintenance
Dependence on international funding sources
Competition for limited technology investment resources
Political and Regulatory Risks:
Different national telecommunications policies across 55 member states
Potential conflicts between national independence and continental integration
Regulatory fragmentation is hampering seamless cross-border operations
Political instability in certain regions is affecting infrastructure security
What Happens Next
The Continental Internet Exchange represents a foundational shift toward Africa's digital independence, with implications extending far beyond technical infrastructure. Success will require sustained political commitment, continued international cooperation, and strategic investments in training people.
Key Priorities Going Forward:
Speed Up Infrastructure: Priority focus on the 16 countries lacking operational IXPs
Create Standards: Develop common technical standards for seamless integration
Train People: Comprehensive training programs for network operators and engineers
Coordinate Policies: Harmonise regulatory frameworks across member states
Security Framework: Implement strong cybersecurity measures protecting continental infrastructure
What This Means for Africa
Africa's Continental Internet Exchange stands as a landmark achievement in the continent's journey toward digital independence and technological self-reliance. It's more than infrastructure - it's the technological equivalent of a revolution. The rapid adoption rate, strategic economic benefits, and political significance position the CIX as a transformative force reshaping Africa's digital landscape.
The success of this initiative will likely inspire similar regional approaches globally, potentially changing the current internet governance model dominated by Western institutions. For Africa, the CIX represents an opportunity to leapfrog traditional development challenges while asserting technological independence in an increasingly digital world.
The coming years will be critical in determining whether the Continental Internet Exchange achieves its full potential as a catalyst for African digital transformation or faces challenges that limit its continental impact. Current indicators suggest a positive trajectory, with strong user adoption and growing international recognition of Africa's emerging digital capabilities.
For ordinary Africans, this means faster, cheaper internet that keeps their data within the continent. For African businesses, it means better opportunities to serve local markets and compete globally. For African governments, it means greater control over their digital infrastructure and reduced dependence on foreign powers.
This is not just about technology - it's about Africa taking control of its digital future.
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