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Open Access Data Centres (OADC), one of Africa’s fastest-growing carrier-neutral operators, has introduced a new interconnection platform in Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), aimed at tackling the long-standing challenges of high costs, slow speeds, and limited reliability in the continent’s internet infrastructure.
The platform, known as Open Access Fabric (OAfabric), is now operational in OADC’s Lagos and Kinshasa facilities. It is designed to provide enterprises with direct, low-latency connections to global and local cloud and content providers, helping reduce dependence on costly and unreliable international routes while improving performance.
“If you struggle to deliver consistent user experiences due to unreliable or expensive international routes, OAfabric will enable direct, low-latency on-ramp peering with global and local cloud and content providers, helping to reduce transit costs and improve performance,” OADC’s Chief Executive Officer, Ayotunde Coker, said at the Lagos launch.
Unlike traditional models that focus on expanding physical infrastructure, OAfabric enables a collaborative digital ecosystem that accelerates interconnection between enterprises, networks, and cloud providers. By doing so, it reduces fragmentation and complexity while creating faster, more efficient digital exchange.
For years, African businesses have shouldered some of the world’s highest internet costs, largely due to dependence on international networks to access cloud and content platforms. This reliance has translated into higher latency and inconsistent user experiences. By offering direct pathways to cloud and content ecosystems, OAfabric seeks to cut costs, unlock better performance, and drive digital growth.
“We designed OAfabric around the real challenges African businesses face,” Coker added. “It’s about reducing the cost to compute, improving performance, unlocking access to digital platforms, and creating an environment where enterprises can scale confidently while accelerating time to market.”
Beyond connectivity, OAfabric aims to stimulate local digital ecosystems by creating open, carrier-neutral interconnection points. This approach will help enterprises scale faster, enter new markets with ease, and support Africa’s broader digital economy.
“OAfabric is not just infrastructure; it represents a paradigm shift for Africa’s digital economy,” Coker emphasized. “By removing barriers and enabling seamless peering between internet exchange points, content providers, cloud platforms, and enterprises, we are laying the foundation for a more efficient, interconnected digital future.”
OADC revealed that future expansion plans will see OAfabric extend into additional African markets, strengthening access to international content and cloud ecosystems. The initiative forms part of OADC’s wider strategy to accelerate Africa’s digital transformation by providing interconnection hubs that underpin connectivity, cloud, content, and collaboration across the continent.
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