establishing, by a network exposure function (NEF) in a communications network, priority rules in a priority configuration database that define routing priority indicators corresponding to a plurality of applications functions (AFs), wherein the routing priority indicators include a priority order of the plurality of AFs, specific to an identity of the NEF, that designate an order in which the NEF attempts to utilize the plurality of AFs for establishing a session;

receiving, by the NEF, a service request or notification request message directed to one of the plurality of AFs from a network function (NF) in the communications network;

accessing, by the NEF, a context database to validate context information associated with a destination AF belonging to the plurality of AFs; and

in response to determining that the destination AF is unavailable or is not in proximity to the NEF, directing, by the NEF, an event notification request message associated with the service request or notification request message to a prioritized AF specified in the priority configuration database, wherein the prioritized AF is a peer of the destination AF.