Yesterday evening, Friday the 21st March 2025, I attended the PAIX x LINX Connect event in Nairobi. This industry gathering, hosted jointly by PAIX Data Centres and the London Internet Exchange (LINX), marked a significant milestone — the official expansion of LINX Nairobi’s interconnection fabric to include PAIX Nairobi’s NBO-1 facility at Britam Tower, Upper Hill.

This development now enables PAIX customers to access the entire LINX Nairobi ecosystem, including global players like Meta and Starlink, as well as a growing number of local ISPs and content networks. For Kenya — and the broader East African region — this is a major step forward in building stronger, more resilient digital infrastructure.

During the event, I had the opportunity to speak with Halil Kama, the Regional Director for the Middle East at LINX, to unpack the significance of this expansion, LINX’s strategy in Kenya, and what it all means for the future of interconnection in the East African region.

The Significance of LINX Expanding to PAIX Nairobi

Our conversation started with Halil explaining that the launch of LINX at PAIX Nairobi is much more than just adding another data center to their network. As he put it, “It’s about growing the ecosystem.” By expanding to PAIX, LINX ensures that local networks, ISPs, and enterprises hosted there can seamlessly connect to global and regional players already present on the LINX Nairobi platform.

Halil was clear that this kind of interconnection is what drives digital transformation. As PAIX Nairobi is now part of LINX’s fabric, networks have a neutral, carrier-agnostic exchange where they can peer and exchange traffic locally, instead of routing it through Europe or other international hubs.

LINX’s Growing Presence in Nairobi and Mombasa

Halil shared that LINX Nairobi’s ecosystem has been growing steadily since launch. Global content players like Meta and Starlink are already integrated, alongside 14 to 15 local ISPs and networks. This mix of global and local connectivity is what makes LINX Nairobi such a valuable platform.

In Mombasa, Halil explained that LINX recently launched a new site where Meta and four local ISPs are now connected. Slowly but surely, LINX is expanding its footprint — ensuring that both of Kenya’s major digital hubs are interconnected and robust.

This is crucial, as Halil pointed out: “We’re creating resilience by building this ecosystem. It’s not just Nairobi or Mombasa — it’s about tying the two together and ensuring local traffic stays local.”

The Mutual Benefits of the LINX and PAIX Partnership

On the question of what this partnership means for both organizations, Halil was clear: it’s a win-win.

For PAIX, having LINX on-site enhances their value proposition — attracting more customers and increasing occupancy within the data center. For LINX, it means expanding their community and giving members even more options for seamless interconnection.

Halil noted that beyond just technical benefits, this partnership sets the stage for more collaboration, innovation, and growth within Kenya’s internet ecosystem. It makes it easier for ISPs and enterprises to connect, peer, and grow, without worrying about the heavy costs and complexity of international transit.

Driving Down Costs, Improving Performance, and Building Resilience

One of the key takeaways from our conversation was LINX’s focus on helping ISPs and networks in Kenya lower costs and improve user experiences.

By keeping traffic local, LINX reduces the need for costly international transit. Halil was particularly passionate about this point, saying, “Why should we be sending packets to Europe when the content is right here? LINX Nairobi and LINX Mombasa help solve that.”

This local resilience means better network performance, faster connections, and a stronger foundation for everything from cloud services to e-commerce, gaming, and media streaming — sectors that are growing rapidly across Kenya and the rest of the East African region.

About PAIX Data Centres: A Key Player In Kenya’s and Africa’s Digital Ecosystem

PAIX Data Centres is a Pan-African colocation provider, offering carrier- and cloud-neutral data center services across the continent. Since its founding in 2016, PAIX has been building hubs designed to process, store, share, and distribute data — creating what they call “communities of interest.”

PAIX has operations accredited to ISO 27001, ISO 22301, and PCI/DSS standards, earning it a reputation for world-class infrastructure, security, and reliability. Their Nairobi facility, PAIX NBO-1 at Britam Tower, is located in East Africa’s financial hub, connecting ISPs, content networks, e-commerce players, broadcasters, and gaming companies.

This partnership with LINX positions PAIX Nairobi as a critical node in Kenya’s digital landscape, giving customers access to a global interconnection ecosystem without ever leaving the building.

Looking Ahead: LINX’s Vision for Kenya and East Africa

As our conversation wrapped up, Halil shared LINX’s broader vision for Kenya and the region. “This is just the beginning,” he said. LINX aims to continue expanding — deepening its presence in both Nairobi and Mombasa, and building the kind of digital infrastructure that keeps traffic local, cuts costs, and enhances performance.

The ultimate goal is to create a self-sustaining digital ecosystem where networks peer locally, traffic stays within the region, and businesses can scale without being constrained by poor connectivity or high costs.

Having attended both the LINX Mombasa launch in February 2025 and the PAIX x LINX Connect event in Nairobi last night, it’s clear that LINX is serious about its long-term commitment to East Africa’s digital transformation.

Final Thoughts

As I think back to my conversation with Halil and the broader context of LINX’s regional expansion, it’s evident that this partnership with PAIX Nairobi is a game-changer for Kenya’s digital ecosystem.

By bringing together world-class infrastructure, global connectivity, and local expertise, LINX and PAIX are laying the foundation for a more resilient, efficient, and affordable internet in Kenya and beyond.

As Kenya continues to cement its position as East Africa’s digital epicenter, partnerships like this will be critical. And from what I’ve seen so far, this is only the beginning of a much bigger story.