The Amsterdam Internet Exchange (AMS-IX) and the MDXi, an Equinix company, have collaborated to drive content growth in West Africa, through the newly established Internet Exchange, AMS-IX Lagos, aimed at expanding customers’ access to connectivity.
The new Internet Exchange, AMS-IX Lagos, is situated in the carrier-neutral data centre of MDXi and was launched on April 17, 2023.
Wouter Ensing, Vice President, Business Development Manager, AMS-IX during his keynote speech at a recent webinar hosted by both AMS-IX and MDXi emphasised the importance of establishing a robust connectivity framework to unlock content growth, aggregate demand, and providing wide-reaching access to consumers.
He said, “While some content providers have already deployed locally in West Africa, particularly in Nigeria, the significant lack of content within the region results in cost inefficiencies, unnecessary latency, and negative impacts on user experience.”
To address this challenge, AMS-IX has partnered with MDXi, an Equinix Company, to leverage its rich interconnected ecosystem across West Africa to advance the region’s connectivity landscape.
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AMS-IX Lagos has been developed as a regional hub to attract content for access within the region. By creating a network that offers scale to interconnect carriers, internet exchanges, and data centres, AMS-IX Lagos aims to foster growth and advance the region’s connectivity.
Industry experts such as Kendall Ananyi, Founder, Tizeti Networks and Ben Nicklin, Director Network Strategy and Interconnection, Edgio also shared their experiences in a panel session moderated by Oluwasayo Oshadami, Head, Technical Solutions, MainOne.
To underscore the benefits of the internet exchange, Kendall said “His company has accessed more content by peering on AMS-IX Lagos than on IP transit links as the IX has reduced the cost of traffic required to access content that is locally available.”
Ben Nicklin, Director, Network Strategy and Interconnection, for Edgio, a content delivery network provider stated that the company enjoyed improved performance by peering at the Internet Exchange. He highlighted the opportunity to serve other West African countries via peering from Lagos and hoped the AMS-IX Lagos platform would bridge this gap by connecting more networks across the region.
“It is clear that the MDXi and AMS-IX partnership is reshaping West Africa’s digital landscape for the future with a proactive approach to content growth. By addressing these infrastructure challenges, the region can foster a thriving digital ecosystem and empower its vibrant youth population, said Nicklin.
