Update
Learning
Partnership
September 9, 2025
Wingu News
Over a year since its establishment, Ethiopia's first Internet Exchange Point has proven to be far more than a technical milestone. The Addis Ababa Internet Exchange (ADDIX), hosted at Wingu Africa's Tier III-certified data centre, marks a crucial step forward in how the nation approaches digital infrastructure. This partnership between ADDIX Technology Solutions and Wingu Africa is positioning Ethiopia as a competitive force in the global digital economy whilst addressing critical connectivity challenges that have long hindered the country's technological advancement.
The Current Digital Landscape Challenge
Ethiopia's internet infrastructure faces substantial obstacles that directly impact economic development. At the beginning of 2025, 105 million people in Ethiopia did not use the internet, meaning 78.7% of the population remained offline.1 This digital divide represents both a challenge and an opportunity as the country works to expand connectivity.
The technical performance metrics highlight the infrastructure gaps. As of early 2025, the median download speed on a fixed broadband connection was about 9.0 Mbps2, with mobile speeds typically in a similar range or lower, contrasting sharply with African countries like Rwanda and South Africa which average mobile speeds above 35 Mbps3. Meanwhile, 3G mobile network data accounts for 98% of usage and 4G services are utilised by 33% of users,4 with Ethio Telecom deploying 5G services at 145 sites across five cities.5
Understanding Internet Exchange Points: The Technical Foundation
An Internet Exchange Point functions as a digital crossroads where multiple Internet Service Providers (ISPs) can exchange traffic directly with each other. Before ADDIX's establishment, Ethiopian internet users accessing local websites often found their data travelling internationally before returning to servers physically located in Addis Ababa. This inefficient routing created unnecessary latency, increased costs, and placed Ethiopian digital infrastructure at the mercy of international bandwidth pricing.
IXPs enable cost savings to be made as a larger proportion of traffic is exchanged using local rather than international bandwidth. The economic benefits are substantial, with ISPs that use established African IXPs seeing up to 80% of user traffic going through the IXP path, translating to 80% savings on international Internet capacity.6
The Strategic Importance of the Wingu Partnership
Wingu Africa's role extends well beyond providing hosting space. As East Africa's first specialist carrier-neutral data centre operator, with strategic locations in Djibouti, Ethiopia, and Tanzania, Wingu brings essential expertise and infrastructure reliability that makes ADDIX's mission achievable. The company's Tier III certification ensures 99.982% uptime, providing the stability necessary for critical internet infrastructure.
The carrier-neutral approach is particularly significant for ADDIX's success. This neutrality means that competing ISPs can co-locate their equipment and exchange traffic without concerns about preferential treatment or competitive disadvantages. Such neutrality is essential for building trust within Ethiopia's telecommunications sector and encouraging broad participation in the exchange.
Key Operational Benefits Driving Network Performance
The technical advantages delivered by ADDIX are expected to establish a crucial foundation for Ethiopia's digital transformation. By reducing operational costs for ISPs, the exchange has the potential to enable providers to reinvest savings into network expansion and service improvements. The high availability infrastructure ensures consistent connectivity for critical services, whilst enhanced routing efficiency optimises how data flows between networks.
These improvements are intended to create long-term benefits across Ethiopia's digital ecosystem. Optimised bandwidth costs translate to more affordable internet access for consumers. Low latency performance enhances user experience for local applications and services. The combination of highly improved service quality with cost efficiencies creates conditions for increased internet adoption and digital service development.
For Ethiopian businesses, the improvements are expected to be tangible. Reduced latency makes cloud-based applications more responsive, video conferencing more reliable, and e-commerce platforms more competitive with international alternatives. Local content delivery becomes economically viable, encouraging the development of Ethiopian digital services and reducing the country's dependence on foreign platforms.
The partnership creates opportunities for local expertise development, as engineers acquire new skills in managing BGP or Internet resources. These capabilities strengthen Ethiopia's digital workforce and contribute to broader technological capacity building within the country.
Regional Competitiveness and Digital Hub Potential
Ethiopia's geographical position and growing economy make it a natural candidate for becoming a regional digital hub. The ADDIX-Wingu partnership supports this ambition by providing the infrastructure foundation necessary to attract international technology companies and support local digital innovation. IXPs avoid data routing through upstream Internet providers, benefiting from low cost, reduced latency and good bandwidth.
The project aligns with broader African Union objectives through the African Internet Exchange System (AXIS) Project, which aims to support the establishment of Internet exchange points in Member States. Ethiopia's success with ADDIX positions the country as a leader in this regional initiative.
Supporting Digital Inclusion and Government Services
The efficiency gains from local traffic exchange have implications beyond commercial internet users. Government services, educational institutions, and healthcare systems all benefit from improved connectivity. As Ethiopia continues digitising public services, having efficient, reliable internet infrastructure becomes essential for ensuring equitable access across the country.
The collaboration demonstrates the potential for public-private co-operation in addressing digital infrastructure challenges. The Ethiopian Communications Authority's involvement provides regulatory oversight and policy alignment, whilst private sector expertise ensures technical excellence and operational efficiency.
Future Growth and Innovation Opportunities
The infrastructure provided by Wingu Africa is designed with scalability in mind. As Ethiopia's internet penetration increases and digital services expand, ADDIX can accommodate additional traffic and participants. This scalability is crucial given the country's demographic trends and increasing digitalisation of business operations.
The hosting arrangement creates a platform for innovation in emerging technologies. As Ethiopia explores expanded 5G deployment and considers satellite internet integration, having robust local exchange infrastructure becomes increasingly valuable. The presence of reliable, high-performance internet exchanges can accelerate the adoption of new technologies by providing the necessary backbone infrastructure.
Content Delivery and Digital Sovereignty
One of ADDIX's most significant long-term benefits lies in enabling local content delivery networks. This development is crucial for Ethiopian digital sovereignty and economic development. Local content delivery reduces dependence on international infrastructure whilst improving user experience for Ethiopian digital services.
Ethiopian news websites, educational platforms, and entertainment services can deliver content more efficiently to local users. This improvement makes Ethiopian digital services more competitive and attractive, potentially stemming the flow of user engagement and advertising revenue to international platforms.
Building Towards a Connected Future
The initial success of ADDIX is a promising sign and demonstrates Ethiopia's capability to develop world-class digital infrastructure through strategic partnerships and careful planning. As the country continues its digital transformation, the ADDIX-Wingu partnership provides a solid foundation for future innovation and growth.
IXP projects deliver significant cost savings for participating networks along with more stable, resilient, high quality, and affordable Internet for users across the region. For Ethiopia, this translates into enhanced competitiveness in the global digital economy and improved quality of life for citizens accessing digital services.
The infrastructure foundation now in place creates opportunities for Ethiopia to attract international investment, develop local technical expertise, and build a more inclusive digital economy. While the full scope of practical performance is still in development, this partnership provides a clear and positive direction for the country's digital journey.
Strategic collaborations like this demonstrate how complex infrastructure challenges can be addressed whilst building foundations for sustainable economic growth. The exchange serves as concrete evidence that Africa can lead in developing critical digital infrastructure, creating a template that other nations across the continent can adapt and implement.
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