Michuki Mwangi Honoured With African Peering Pioneer Award

The African Peering and Interconnection community has honoured Michuki Mwangi, Regional Development Manager – Africa at ISOC, with the African Peering Pioneer Award for his exceptional contributions to internet development and interconnection across the continent.

The award recognizes individuals who have demonstrated visionary leadership, innovation, and long-term commitment to advancing internet growth.

For more than two decades, Mwangi has been at the forefront of Africa’s internet transformation. From his early work as Administrative Manager at the Kenya Network Information Centre (KeNIC) between 2002 and 2007, to his tenure as President of the African Top Level Domains (AfTLD) from 2006 to 2009, he has played a pivotal role in shaping Africa’s internet landscape. He also volunteered technical expertise to the Kenya Internet Exchange Point (KIXP) from 2006 to 2017 and served on the board of the Technology Service Providers Association of Kenya (TESPOK).

Mwangi was instrumental in facilitating the anycast deployment of critical global root servers (.COM, .NET, F, and J) in Kenya, alongside driving major infrastructure deployments across Africa. His influence extends beyond Kenya, with active roles in leading global and regional internet bodies such as the African Network Operators Group (AfNOG), AFRINIC, and ICANN’s Country Code Name Supporting Organization (ccNSO).

At ISOC, where he has worked since 2008, Mwangi co-designed the Interconnection and Traffic Exchange program, which laid the foundation for the African Peering and Interconnection Forum (AfPIF). Now in its second decade, AfPIF has become one of Africa’s most anticipated annual gatherings for peering and interconnection stakeholders, fulfilling and surpassing Mwangi’s vision of fostering a strong community of practice across the continent.

Beyond AfPIF, Mwangi has spearheaded capacity-building initiatives, providing technical support that has benefitted nearly every Internet Exchange Point (IXP) in Africa. His efforts have inspired and nurtured a new generation of internet champions across the region.

Mwangi continues to represent Africa on the global stage, amplifying the continent’s voice in critical conversations around interconnection, DNS, and internet governance.