Nigeria’s internet ecosystem has received a major international boost as the Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN) announces that China Mobile International Limited (CMI) has officially joined its peering fabric, a move expected to strengthen Nigeria’s position as a regional hub for global data traffic and digital interconnection in West Africa.

The development integrates CMI, the international subsidiary of China Mobile Limited, widely regarded as the world’s largest mobile operator by subscriber base, into Nigeria’s growing local interconnection ecosystem.

By connecting directly to the IXPN network, CMI will now be able to exchange internet traffic locally with Nigerian networks, reducing reliance on costly international transit routes and improving the efficiency of data exchange within the country.

 

IXPN describes the onboarding of CMI as a “landmark moment” for Nigeria’s internet ecosystem, noting that the partnership is expected to improve connectivity performance for enterprises, service providers and internet users nationwide.

 

IXPN: China Mobile International debut  is “landmark moment” for Nigeria’s internet ecosystem

The announcement comes as IXPN continues its rapid expansion across Africa’s digital infrastructure landscape. Recent industry data shows that the exchange point recorded a peak traffic milestone of two terabits per second (Tbps) in late 2025, reinforcing its position as Africa’s leading community-driven Internet Exchange Point (IXP).

Industry stakeholders say the addition of global carriers like CMI could encourage more international telecoms operators, hyperscalers and content delivery networks to establish local peering arrangements in Nigeria, further accelerating the country’s digital economy ambitions.

IXPN describes the onboarding of CMI as a “landmark moment” for Nigeria’s internet ecosystem, noting that the partnership is expected to improve connectivity performance for enterprises, service providers and internet users nationwide.

“CMI’s presence on the IXPN fabric means that Nigerian businesses, enterprises, and internet users stand to benefit from enhanced connectivity, faster traffic exchange, and access to a truly global telecommunications network, right here, locally,” the exchange says in a statement seen by Technology Times.

The exchange point says localising internet traffic remains critical to improving Nigeria’s digital sovereignty by ensuring that more locally-generated data stays within the country. The model also helps reduce operational costs for internet service providers while improving the performance of latency-sensitive services such as cloud computing, video conferencing, streaming platforms and AI-driven applications.

The move also sends a strong signal about Nigeria’s growing attractiveness as a destination for global digital infrastructure investment.

“This is a powerful statement about the growing global relevance of IXPN as a world-class interconnection platform,” the exchange said, adding that it looks forward to a “long, impactful, and mutually rewarding partnership” with CMI.

With CMI joining the more than 130 networks already connected to IXPN, including global technology players such as Google, Meta and Microsoft, Nigeria’s internet landscape is becoming increasingly interconnected and capacity-rich.

For internet users, the deeper interconnection ecosystem is expected to translate into faster access to digital services, improved network performance and more resilient internet connectivity.

Headquartered in Hong Kong, CMI operates extensive international telecommunications and Internet Data Centre (IDC) infrastructure across more than 37 countries and regions. Its portfolio spans voice, data, roaming, cloud computing and enterprise connectivity services.

The company recently activated additional resources on submarine cable systems serving Africa, a move aimed at strengthening international bandwidth capacity and supporting rising demand for digital services across the continent.