Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Ghana's Minister of Communications and Digitalisation.

Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Ghana's Minister of Communications and Digitalisation, is advocating for Internet traffic aggregation at interconnection hubs across Africa, which she believes will attract international operators to establish points of presence.

The minister spoke at the 12th edition of the African Peering and Interconnection Forum (AfPIF), which concluded last week in Ghana.

The event, co-hosted by Equinix’s MainOne, the Internet Society and the African IXP Association, attracted many global and local industry leaders and regulators.

Owusu-Ekuful emphasised the importance of a strong peering and interconnection ecosystem for the successful implementation of Ghana's digital goals.

She said: "This will permit local traffic and promote ICT, which is crucial for any nation wishing to participate fully in the global Internet economy. It will enhance the end-user experience, bring down access costs, and encourage the growth of regional Internet ecosystems."

Furthermore, the minister underscored the need of supporting Internet traffic aggregation at interconnection hubs, stating that it would attract multinational operators to establish points of presence.

Emmanuel Kwarteng, MainOne Ghana country manager, agreed. He added: "We cannot overemphasise the critical role that peering plays in enhancing the reach, reliability, and efficiency of this new digital lifestyle.”