London Internet Exchange Now Expands To West Africa, With ‘LinXaccra’ In Ghana

Hon. Samuel Nartey George (MP), Minister for Communication, Digital Technology, and Innovations, joined leaders of the world’s internet infrastructure to officially launch LinXaccra, Africa’s newest interconnection hub powered by the London Internet Exchange (LINX).

The opening of LinXaccra is the first time the internationally recognized London Internet Exchange has established a physical presence in West Africa and marks an important turning point in Ghana’s digital infrastructure development.

Speaking to stakeholders, the Minister welcomed them on behalf of Ghanaians and President John Dramani Mahama, calling Ghana a genuine gateway to Africa.

He said that he supports the LINX effort because it fits with the government’s current plan to increase Ghanaians’ access to, affordability of, and satisfaction with the internet.

“This development is a huge step toward improving customer experience. Having an Internet Exchange Point (IXP) right here in Ghana means we don’t have to transmit traffic all the way to Europe before it gets back to our phones. That reduces latency, improves speed, and ensures a much better experience for users,” he said

Hon. Nartey George underscored the importance of collaboration between government and industry in building Ghana’s digital ecosystem, saying that:

“We are not in competition. This industry thrives on cooperation. I am pleased to see the synergy between LINX and local data centres. This is the kind of digital unity that drives national development.”

Additionally, he reaffirmed the Ministry’s dedication to fostering innovation and the growth of infrastructure, adding that developers must be prepared to fulfill all of their tax duties.

The Minister went on to say that Ghana is a pioneer in Africa’s digital future since it is home to one of the continent’s top internet exchange points. As a result, customers throughout the nation and subregion may anticipate quicker connectivity, lower latency, and better quality digital services.

One of the biggest internet exchange hubs in the world, according to Ms. Jennifer Holmes, CEO of LinXaccra, allows data to move between networks more quickly and directly.

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She pointed out that now that LinXaccra is up and running, foreign content providers can localize their offerings in Ghana, which would result in quicker downloads, streaming, and less internet traffic jams.

She stated that the new exchange will be housed at Ghana’s three main data centers: Web, Digital Reality, and Onix.

“Internet Service Providers (ISPs) will be able to connect directly to these centres, thereby enhancing performance and reliability for consumers”, she added.