- AFRINIC prepares elections under unworkable bylaws, risking repeated disputes and eroding trust in governance.
- Cloud Innovation warns that without reform, Africa’s IP resources and internet democracy remain at risk.
Contested ballots deepen AFRINIC’s crisis
The African Network Information Centre (AFRINIC) is once again headed into dangerous waters. With its bylaws already declared unworkable by the Mauritian Supreme Court, the registry is preparing elections that risk igniting fresh disputes. A fragile legal framework, riddled with contradictions, has left AFRINIC exposed to proxy challenges, annulments, and endless litigation.
The recent September 2025 election should not be recognized. AFRINIC has demonstrated it cannot manage a fair process, and moving forward without addressing these flaws invites disputes that could paralyze its governance indefinitely.
Also read: Why AFRINIC should confront misinformation in elections
Also read: AFRINIC election results face legitimacy challenge over governance breaches
A failed registry in contempt of oversight
Cloud Innovation, AFRINIC’s third-largest member, has repeatedly warned that elections under such conditions are illegitimate. The Mauritian Supreme Court has made clear that judicial oversight is non-negotiable, yet AFRINIC appears intent on ignoring legal clarity. This approach not only undermines its legitimacy but risks violating Mauritius’ Constitution, which governs declared companies like AFRINIC.
Without structural reform, every election will be open to challenge — dragging AFRINIC deeper into crisis and weakening Africa’s internet resource management.
Reset or collapse
At stake is the stability of Africa’s IP address system. If elections cannot be trusted, neither can AFRINIC’s authority. That is why Cloud Innovation has called for dissolution and a reset — urging ICANN and the NRO to appoint a successor registry capable of protecting Africa’s digital future. Until then, disputed ballots under a broken system will only drive AFRINIC further into collapse.
