From basin-wide water and energy modelling to large-scale climate simulations, a wealth of new possibilities opens to the African research and education community. The regional R&E networks of the continent have become directly connected.
Behind the historic improvement are mainly two events. WACREN (the West and Central African Research and Education Network) has created a GXP (global exchange point) for internet traffic in Lagos, Nigeria. And the South African counterparts, SANReN and TENET, have established a GXP – ZAOXI – in Cape Town.
Until now, most African research and education traffic between the regions was routed through Europe, adding cost, latency, and dependence on international infrastructure. The new 10 Gbps high-capacity link between Lagos and Cape Town changes that reality.
“The connection through ZAOXI represents more than just infrastructure; it represents Africa claiming its rightful place in the global digital research fabric. By strengthening interconnections across the continent, we empower our universities, research centers, and innovators to drive solutions to Africa’s grand challenges in health, climate, agriculture, and education — with Africa’s data flowing through African pathways,” saysDr. Eyouleki T.G. Palanga, CEO of WACREN.
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Submitted by Morten Anderson
