By Emeka Aginam
Barely two weeks after the commissioning of Nigeria’s first Internet exchange point, IXPN, the Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria, ISPON, the Nigerian Computer Society, NCS and the Association Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria, ATCON have all commended the initiative of the Nigerian Communications Commission, (NCC).

For the President of ISPON, Chris Uwaje, the IXPN initiative is a fundamental necessity for the development of ICT with particular reference to building and sustaining Internet Technology culture for national development.

“The initiative is highly commendable and special recognition should be accorded  the entire Board. The IXPN project should be structured as an all embracing ICT industry and professional engagement and NOT just a telecommunications affair  — which is what it presently is.

For the  IXPN facility to be sustained, he listed the following expectations:

*Government should declare the IXPN facility as a critical Information Infrastructure and protect it with special enabling laws; IXPN should be accorded a special power/electricity suppy corridor status; and IXPN should be protected from cyber security and cyber crime attacks. Others are  that special grants should be delivered to the intiative and ensure that a chunk of it is dedicated to skilled capacity building, maintanance and research, and local content and in particular indigenous software should be allocated priority residence in the IXPN project.

ATCON also lauded the initiative. Its president, Titi Omo-Ettu, however warned that it may not instantly reduce costs, and explained why.

“ Although IXPN does not relate to broadband infrastructure directly, it is a notable factor for cost reduction to the consumer since cost of local traffic can now eliminate the international segment factor which earlier architecture imposed. It is simple logic that explains how it helps cost. It also helps security and latency in ideal situations.

“A note of warning is regarding the popular expectation that such facilities command instant price reduction to the consumer. It does not work that way. Forces of business and the need to amortise cost  make such expectation inordinate.”

The IXPN, according to the President of NCS, Professor Charles Uwadia, is a dream come true, adding that it is  a hope realized in our quest to make connectivity pervasive and affordable as we continue the march towards a knowledge economy.

“In the last 15 years, there have been discussions on how to reduce the cost of data communication through the localisation of traffic e.g an email going from Lagos to Kano does not need to get to Washington or London before getting to Kano. IXPN is a structure that ensures that local communication remains local thereby reducing the time and cost of communication. “Cheaper and easier communication will give greater impetus to local content development and management” he said.