Nigeria must end dependence on foreign internet routes-IT Expert 

Nigeria must end dependence on foreign internet routes-IT Expert

An Innovation and Technology Policy Adviser, Mr Jide Awe, has urged Nigeria to prioritise local internet routing to reduce costs, strengthen digital sovereignty, accelerate economic growth and end dependence on foreign internet routes

Awe, who is the Founder of Jidaw.com Ltd., an Information and Communications Technology Firm, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Lagos.

He said Nigeria’s internet ecosystem still routed substantial domestic traffic through overseas exchange points in spite of growing local infrastructure, creating avoidable economic, operational and strategic vulnerabilities across sectors.

According to him, many operators and global providers continue relying on established foreign routes through major international exchanges, while fragmented networks and high interconnection costs discourage local peering.

“The issue is not infrastructure alone but ecosystem design. Nigeria needs stronger local-first routing, lower interconnection costs and policies that make keeping traffic local more efficient,” he said.

Speaking on digital sovereignty, Awe noted that domestic internet transactions between Nigerian users frequently travelled through foreign jurisdictions before returning to serve local destinations and applications.

He explained that such dependence exposed Nigerian data to external legal and regulatory environments, raising concerns over privacy, security, national control and long-term resilience.

Highlighting the economic implications, Awe said internet providers paid international transit charges in foreign currencies, making connectivity costs vulnerable to exchange rate fluctuations and global market pressures.

“In effect, Nigerian businesses and users bear the cost of dependence on external networks,” he said.

Awe further observed that international route failures, including submarine cable disruptions, could affect local digital services, even, when infrastructure within Lagos remained fully operational.

“This demonstrates that digital infrastructure is not only about where data is stored, but also who controls the routes through which it travels,” he added.

Read Also: Police neutralise two kidnappers, recover car, weapons, charms in…

On the economic benefits of stronger local interconnection, Awe said retaining internet traffic within Nigeria would significantly lower operational costs and improve productivity across industries.

He explained that fintech platforms would process payments faster, strengthen fraud detection capabilities and deliver more reliable services during periods of heavy transaction volumes.

According to him, streaming services and content providers will reduce dependence on overseas servers, lowering costs for consumers while expanding opportunities for Nigerian content across West Africa.

Awe also said local cloud providers, e-commerce platforms and telecommunications operators would benefit from reduced international bandwidth expenses, improved performance and stronger security protections.

He noted that Nigeria had begun constructing and commissioning its first wave of hyperscale, AI-ready data centres, indicating progress toward building a more competitive digital infrastructure ecosystem.

However, Awe cautioned that the country still faced significant challenges in supporting the computing and infrastructure demands required for advanced artificial intelligence and hyperscale cloud services.

He explained that AI systems required continuous, high-density electricity supplies, forcing many operators to depend on costly gas and diesel-powered backup systems to maintain reliability.

The technology adviser said those energy requirements raised sustainability concerns while increasing operational expenses for organisations seeking to deploy large-scale AI and cloud infrastructure.

Awe further noted that many global cloud providers are yet to establish full-scale operations locally, limiting Nigeria’s ability to capture greater value from digital services.

He urged regulators to ensure the Nigeria Data Protection Act adequately addressed emerging realities associated with artificial intelligence, cloud computing and cross-border data management.

Awe also called on government to introduce fiscal incentives and targeted support measures capable of accelerating investment in local digital infrastructure and advanced technology ecosystems.