- CAIGA proposes a centralised, continent-wide governance framework, potentially replacing the existing community-driven model under AFRINIC.
- For businesses, the shift could bring both opportunity and risk: more coordinated policy and regulation — but also greater political oversight and uncertainty over IP resource allocation.
A new architecture for Africa’s internet— and what it means for business
The CAIGA initiative, quietly gaining traction after a Memorandum of Understanding between Smart Africa and ICANN in November 2024, is pitched as a way to boost Africa’s capacity in internet governance, coordinate digital-policy responses across nations, and give Africa a stronger, unified voice in international internet forums.
For many businesses — especially ISPs, cloud providers and digital service operators — CAIGA’s promise of regulatory harmonisation and enhanced continental coordination might seem attractive. In theory, a single continental framework could simplify cross-border operations, reduce regulatory fragmentation, and help smaller players by enabling capacity-building, shared standards, and faster coordination during crises.
However, CAIGA also represents a major departure from how internet resources in Africa have historically been governed. Under AFRINIC, the system has been bottom-up and community-based: members — whether small local ISPs or large operators — had equal voice in policy decisions, resource allocation, and elections, regardless of size or financial clout.
CAIGA discards that equality in favour of a structure that critics say elevates political power and financial contribution over consensus. As one critic describes it, it effectively turns governance into a “subscription service,” where influence stems from membership fees and state appointment rather than from community consensus.
That shift may spell danger for the multistakeholder model that many businesses — especially smaller and local operators — have relied on. Political oversight over technical matters like IP-address allocation could lead to inefficiency, unpredictability, and even politicisation of resource allocation, undermining the impartiality and technical neutrality previously guaranteed under AFRINIC.
Moreover, CAIGA remains in a nascent stage. Its proposal centres around a continental “Council,” a secretariat and mechanisms for political endorsement of governance reforms — but does not yet present a fully detailed blueprint. The lack of clarity leaves considerable uncertainty about how exactly CAIGA would operate, what checks and balances would be in place, or how day-to-day resource management would be handled.
Also read: How the CAIGA Initiative Impacts Africa’s Internet Governance
Also read: Who should govern Africa’s internet — AFRINIC or CAIGA?
What businesses should watch— and ask
For African businesses, digital service providers, ISPs, and organisations dependent on reliable IP-address allocations, CAIGA raises several key questions:
- Will IP-address allocation remain fair and transparent? Under a politically influenced structure, there is a risk that allocation decisions become contingent on relationships or government interest rather than technical need or fairness.
- Could governance change slow down resource allocation or create uncertainty? Political involvement might introduce delays — not ideal for growing businesses requiring timely access to IP resources.
- Will smaller operators lose influence compared with bigger players? If CAIGA privileges state-backed or financially strong members, grassroots and local ISPs may find themselves marginalised.
- What safeguards will guarantee technical neutrality and community-driven policy? Businesses should demand clarity on how CAIGA will preserve independence, impartiality, and technical competence in managing internet resources.
CAIGA may look appealing at first glance: a continental framework promising coordinated policy, capacity building and a stronger African voice in global digital governance. For businesses, that could translate into smoother cross-border operations and potentially more stable regulation.
