Internet

NTT DATA becomes Africa's first network operator to activate 400 Gbps peering at JINX

NTT DATA has achieved a major milestone in Africa's digital infrastructure by becoming the first network operator on the continent to activate 400 Gbps peering at the Johannesburg Internet Exchange (JINX)

As one of the world’s fastest-growing digital regions, Africa continues to see rising internet usage, expanding submarine cable networks, and increasing adoption of digital services. Against this backdrop, investment in high-capacity, high-performance exchange infrastructure is becoming essential to support innovation, economic growth, and broader digital inclusion.

The introduction of 400 Gbps peering represents a step forward for both NTT DATA’s network capabilities and the development of Africa's internet exchange landscape. It also highlights how South Africa’s exchange ecosystem is aligning with global standards, enabling higher-capacity and lower-latency connectivity to meet growing demand.

Established in 1996, JINX was the continent's first internet exchange point and remains a key component of regional digital infrastructure, operating across several data centres in Johannesburg. It is managed by the Internet Exchange Point of South Africa, a division of the Internet Service Providers' Association. Through its broadband network operations, NTT DATA plays a central role in linking access networks, content providers, and enterprise platforms.

“Africa’s Internet traffic is growing rapidly and the demand for scalable, resilient and low-latency connectivity continues to increase," said JC Burger, director of infrastructure engineering and operations at NTT DATA in South Africa.

"Establishing 400Gbps peering at JINX is a strategic investment that strengthens our ability to deliver high-performance connectivity while supporting the long-term growth of Africa’s digital economy."

The upgrade is expected to deliver clear benefits for businesses, including improved performance during peak traffic periods, increased capacity to manage sustained data growth, and enhanced reliability for digital services.

This development underlines South Africa's readiness for hyperscale peering while reinforcing NTT DATA’s focus on building scalable, carrier-grade infrastructure. Through continued investment, the company is helping to create a more resilient, high-performance internet ecosystem and supporting digital transformation efforts across the continent.

Oni-Tel strengthens Africa Data Centres fibre network. (Image source: African Data Centres)

Africa Data Centres, part of Cassava Technologies, has entered into a partnership with Oni-Tel Fibre Networks to enhance connectivity across its Gauteng-based facilities

The agreement will see Oni-Tel provide high-speed, low-latency connectivity to Africa Data Centres’ campuses in Midrand and Samrand via its Infinity fibre interconnection platform.

Designed specifically for data centre interconnection, the solution is built on a resilient network with direct links to key data centre hubs across Gauteng. This enables customers to access high-capacity bandwidth, fast data transfer speeds, and secure, carrier-grade performance, meeting the uptime and reliability demands of modern digital operations.

“As enterprises accelerate cloud adoption, AI deployment, and data-intensive workloads, they need dependable, scalable connectivity within trusted local data centres. By partnering with Oni-Tel, we’re giving our customers access to enhanced fibre infrastructure that supports their growth and innovation, while maintaining secure, enterprise-grade environments for businesses navigating South Africa’s digital economy,” said Adil El Youssefi, CEO of Africa Data Centres.

As the operator of Africa’s largest interconnected and vendor- as well as cloud-neutral data centre platform, Africa Data Centres will further strengthen its service offering through this collaboration. The partnership enhances network performance and broadens connectivity choices within its facilities, allowing customers to benefit from improved interconnection flexibility, high-availability infrastructure, seamless bandwidth delivery, and scalable solutions aligned with evolving business needs.

“Our partnership with Africa Data Centres enables us to deliver our premium fibre interconnection solution into some of the most strategically important data centre hubs in Gauteng. Through Infinity, customers benefit from ultra-low latency connectivity, scalable capacity, and secure, carrier-grade infrastructure designed to keep their businesses ahead in an extremely competitive digital landscape,” said Ellisha Gobind, chief Commercial Officer at Oni-Tel.

Africa Data Centres’ facilities continue to act as critical interconnection hubs across the continent, serving a wide range of users including enterprises, cloud providers, financial institutions, mobile network operators, and fixed network operators. The addition of Oni-Tel’s dark fibre solution further strengthens the carrier-neutral ecosystem in Gauteng, offering customers enhanced network performance, greater speed, and expanded connectivity options.

With demand for secure and high-performance digital infrastructure continuing to grow, Africa Data Centres remains committed to developing a robust, interconnected platform that supports enterprise innovation and sustainable growth across South Africa and the broader region.

AfDB backs Nigeria digital infrastructure expansion with US$200mn loan. (Image source: AfDB)

The board of directors of the African Development Bank Group has approved a US$200mn loan to the government of Nigeria to support a major national initiative aimed at expanding fibre connectivity, strengthening digital skills, and accelerating job creation

As Africa’s most populous nation and the largest economy in West Africa, Nigeria is positioning its digital economy as a key driver of growth. The Digital Value Chain Infrastructure for Boosting Employment (D-VIBE) Project is designed to address connectivity gaps and enhance productivity nationwide. The programme will extend the country’s fibre network from approximately 30,000 km to 120,000 km, ensuring all 774 Local Government Areas are linked to high-speed broadband. This includes critical infrastructure such as schools, healthcare centres, agro-industrial zones, rural communities, and commercial hubs, while also establishing cross-border connections with Benin, Cameroon, Niger, and Chad.

Also referred to as Project BRIDGE, D-VIBE will be implemented through a public-private partnership model using a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV). Under this structure, public ownership will range between 25% and 49%, while private investors will hold between 51% and 75%. This approach is intended to mitigate challenges such as high construction costs and Right-of-Way barriers that have historically slowed infrastructure rollout.

The African Development Bank Group’s US$200mn contribution forms part of a broader US$800mn sovereign financing package. Additional funding includes US$500mn from the World Bank and US$100mn from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development. Total investment in the project is estimated at US$2bn, supported by a €22mn grant from the European Union, a US$2.6mn project preparation grant from the Multilateral Cooperation Center for Development Finance, and at least US$1.2bn in private sector funding.

“Nigeria has the talent, the market, and the ambition; what it has lacked is the backbone infrastructure to connect that potential to opportunity. D-VIBE changes that. From the north to the south, from farms to factories to classrooms, this investment will make high-speed connectivity a reality for every Nigerian community and give young people the tools to build their futures digitally,” said Abdul Kamara, director general, African Development Bank Group Nigeria Office.

The project is being coordinated through a working group of development finance institutions, jointly led by the Nigerian government and the African Development Bank Group, to align technical design, studies, and funding strategies.

Beyond expanding infrastructure, D-VIBE will focus on stimulating demand through improved access to affordable devices, large-scale digital skills development, and support for digital platforms across priority sectors. It will also strengthen cybersecurity frameworks and promote market competition, while incorporating sustainability measures such as hybrid and renewable energy solutions to enhance resilience.

Over its lifecycle, the initiative is expected to generate up to 2.8 million jobs and increase national broadband penetration from 45% to around 70% by 2030.

The project supports Nigeria’s Vision 2050, the National Development Plan, and the Renewed Hope Development Plan (2026–2030), while also aligning with African Union Agenda 2063 and the African Development Bank’s Ten-Year Strategy (2024–2033).