The Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN) has announced the deployment of new internet infrastructure designed to significantly improve website loading speeds across the country and bolster Nigeria's defenses against cyber disruptions. The announcement was made by the Chief Executive Officer of IXPN, Muhammed Rudman, during the 2026 Annual Members Engagement Forum in Lagos.

According to Rudman, this initiative involves the installation of key systems that enable internet service providers to resolve website addresses locally, reducing reliance on overseas servers. A central element of this upgrade is a collaboration with the Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA), which provided the hardware for an authoritative Domain Name System (DNS) server now operating within IXPN’s network.

The DNS server plays a critical role by translating website names into the numerical addresses that computers use to locate sites online. Rudman stated that the server currently manages nearly 1,000 requests per second and supports a wide range of global domain names, including .org, .info, .io, .asia, .apple, and .alibaba, among others.

He explained that each time a user enters a website address into a browser, a series of lookups occurs across multiple servers worldwide before the site can load. By hosting essential components of this system within Nigeria, IXPN significantly reduces the distance these requests must travel, thereby increasing both speed and reliability.

Furthermore, IXPN has entered into a memorandum of understanding with Verisign, designating it as a regional internet resolution site. This agreement allows IXPN to host primary DNS infrastructure for major global domains, such as .com and .net, within the country.

Rudman emphasized that the domestic installation of these critical systems provides several key advantages, including faster access to websites and email services, enhanced protection against cyberattacks targeting core internet infrastructure, and greater overall network stability. He noted that this development positions Nigeria as a more advanced digital hub and mitigates the risk of nationwide internet disruptions resulting from outages or attacks affecting overseas infrastructure.

In April of last year, IXPN announced it had surpassed 1 Terabit per second (1Tbps) in peak domestic internet traffic for the first time. This milestone underscores the country’s growing digital capabilities. The organization stated that by keeping local internet traffic within Nigeria, the country has reduced costs, improved speeds, and ensured its digital economy thrives with homegrown infrastructure.

IXPN is Nigeria’s largest Internet Exchange Point. It operates as a non-profit, membership-based organization, serving as a crucial interconnection hub for ISPs, content networks, enterprises, and digital platforms.