The Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN) has deployed new internet infrastructure aimed at accelerating website loading speeds in Nigeria and improving the country’s resilience against cyber disruptions.
Chief Executive Officer of IXPN, Muhammed Rudman, disclosed this during the 2026 Annual Members Engagement Forum held in Lagos.
Rudman said the initiative involves installing critical systems that allow internet service providers to resolve website addresses locally rather than relying on overseas servers. This reduces the distance internet requests must travel, significantly improving speed and reliability.
A key component of the upgrade is a collaboration with the Canadian Internet Registration Authority, which supplied hardware for an authoritative Domain Name System (DNS) server now installed within IXPN’s network.
The DNS server translates website names into numerical IP addresses used by computers to locate sites online. According to Rudman, the new node is already handling close to 1,000 DNS requests per second and supports several global domain names, including .org, .info, .io, .asia, .apple and .alibaba.
“This deployment significantly enhances local DNS performance, reduces upstream dependence, and further positions IXPN as a key contributor to regional internet resilience,” he said.
Rudman also revealed that IXPN has signed a memorandum of understanding with Verisign to serve as a regional internet resolution site, enabling it to host primary DNS infrastructure for major global domains such as .com and .net locally.
He noted that hosting critical internet infrastructure domestically will not only improve browsing speeds and email access but also offer stronger protection against cyberattacks targeting core global internet systems.
According to him, the development strengthens Nigeria’s position as a digital hub and reduces the risk of widespread internet outages caused by disruptions to overseas infrastructure.
