- AFRINIC’s collapse has eroded confidence in Africa’s internet governance and demands urgent government intervention.
- Cloud Innovation calls for stronger oversight, transparency, and a complete structural reset to protect Africa’s IP resources.
A registry in freefall
The African Network Information Centre (AFRINIC), once trusted to manage Africa’s critical internet resources, now stands as a symbol of governance failure. Years of mismanagement, controversial decisions, and an election process declared “unworkable” by Mauritius’ Supreme Court have plunged the registry into chaos. Trust in AFRINIC’s ability to oversee the continent’s digital future has all but vanished.
The annulment of its June 2023 election over a single unverified proxy dispute — followed by the discarding of valid votes — exposed a system incapable of fairness. Instead of addressing these systemic flaws, AFRINIC has pushed ahead with more flawed elections, deepening public suspicion and demonstrating a disregard for legal oversight.
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A leadership vacuum and a global risk
With AFRINIC’s leadership under suspension and its governance structures paralyzed, questions over control of Africa’s IP addresses have become a global issue. Critics warn that this instability has opened the door for external players, including ICANN, to consolidate power and weaken Africa’s bottom-up governance model.
Cloud Innovation, AFRINIC’s third-largest member, has led calls for a “necessary reset,” advocating for a new registry that can rebuild trust and accountability. The company has urged ICANN and the NRO to step in and establish a transparent, community-driven replacement for AFRINIC.
The role of African governments
For many stakeholders, restoring confidence in Africa’s internet governance now hinges on decisive government action. Proposals include:
- Declaring AFRINIC unfit to govern and supporting the creation of a new regional internet registry.
- Introducing independent election monitoring and judicial enforcement of bylaws.
- Mandating transparency in resource allocation and board decisions.
- Establishing clear oversight mechanisms to prevent future abuse of power.
Mauritius’ judiciary has already played a key role by challenging AFRINIC’s governance failures, but wider regional cooperation is essential. Without united government action, the power vacuum risks being filled by external actors, further undermining Africa’s digital sovereignty.
A crossroads for Africa’s digital future
AFRINIC’s governance collapse has turned a technical organization into a flashpoint for internet freedom and autonomy. The choice facing African leaders is stark: allow a failed registry and external interference to shape the continent’s digital destiny, or take bold steps to restore trust, rebuild transparency, and return control of Africa’s internet resources to its own people.
Cloud Innovation’s call for a full reset is more than a corporate demand — it is a rallying cry for governments to safeguard Africa’s digital future.
