The digital landscape of Central Africa is undergoing a significant transformation, and at the heart of this change is the Douala Internet Exchange (DOUALA-IX). Located in Cameroon’s economic capital Douala, the exchange point is more than just a piece of infrastructure but a community-driven effort with the aim of creating a more resilient, open, and neutral internet for the region.
The Background of Douala-IX
The journey of Douala-IX began in October 2021 with an initial bootstrap. By November 2021, the first members had joined the exchange, marking the start of a new era for local peering. The facility was hosted at the ST Digital carrier-neutral Data Centre - a strategic choice that provided participants with equal and fair treatment regardless of their size or background.
By mid year of 2022, the exchange had grown to include seven members, with BGP sessions established over both IPv4 and IPv6. This growth is supported by friendly upstreams, including AS328840 (ST Digital) and AS6939 (Hurricane Electric).
Why Douala-IX?
The deployment of Douala-IX was driven by a clear set of goals aimed at improving the local Internet ecosystem:
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Community Commitment: The project was initiated by committed individuals and at least three network operators who were eager to peer within the same facility.
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Best Practices and Transparency: A core motivation was the desire to follow Internet best current practices. The exchange is MANRS (Mutually Agreed Norms for Routing Security) compliant at a minimum.
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Technological Integrity: The founders prioritised transparency and the use of Free and Open Source Software (FOSS). Notably, the exchange operates without NAT44, ensuring that every service is available in both IPv4 and IPv6.
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Resilience: By encouraging local peering, Douala-IX enhances the overall network resilience adhering to the philosophy that "the more, the better" when it comes to interconnectedness.
Expected Impact on the African Community
Douala-IX is uniquely positioned to transform regional connectivity. Leveraging its strategic location, it provides access to five national operators and two international networks, making it the most diverse exchange point in Central Africa. This diversity allows participants to conduct business without restriction, facilitating both bilateral and multilateral peering and strengthening the resilience and efficiency of regional internet traffic.
Beyond connectivity, Douala-IX offers a suite of essential services for the community, including:
- Two NTP servers registered in the NTP Pool Project for accurate time synchronization.
- A RIPE Atlas anchor (ID: 7050) to enable network measurement and monitoring.
- A DNS F-Root Node, improving local DNS resolution and reducing latency.
- Two AFRINIC DNS nodes, supporting the Africa ccTLD and AFRINIC RFC5855 services, reinforcing continental DNS infrastructure.
- Flexible connectivity options from Fast Ethernet to 10 Gigabit Ethernet, catering to networks of all sizes.
DNS F-root node on the map
AFRINIC’s support has been central to Douala-IX’s growth and operational excellence. By deploying DNS nodes and integrating the exchange into Africa-focused internet measurement and security initiatives, AFRINIC has enhanced the reliability, security, and performance of connected networks. This collaboration reflects AFRINIC’s broader mission to strengthen Africa’s internet ecosystem, promote peering, and ensure critical infrastructure is locally hosted and efficiently managed.
Looking glass
RIPE ATLAS anchor
AFRINIC DNS latency with RIPE Atlas probe 7050
The impact of Douala-IX is only set to grow. Membership is currently free, making it accessible for network operators to join and contribute to a stronger African internet. Running on a robust stack of OpenBSD route servers and FRR routers, the exchange provides a high-standard environment for all its members.
As Douala-IX expands its services and membership, it stands as a testament to the power of collaboration within the African networking community. By keeping local traffic local, it improves digital performance and reliability for everyone in the region, serving as a catalyst for sustainable growth, better network performance, and deeper regional cooperation.
Willy MangaDeployment Ops Engineer - AFRINIC
Jean Francis AhandaGroup Chief Technology Officer - ST DIGITAL