- AFRINIC’s board election was annulled over a single, unverified proxy dispute, further undermining its credibility.
- The failure of governance has led to urgent calls for reform and the dissolution of the organisation.
AFRINIC’s 2025 election debacle
The AFRINIC 2025 board election was expected to offer a fresh start for the beleaguered registry. However, the June election was cancelled under controversial circumstances, following the annulment of votes due to a proxy dispute, and the later September election was run under illegal terms. This has raised serious questions about the integrity of AFRINIC’s election process and its ability to manage Africa’s vital internet resources. Critics argue that the failure to uphold democratic election standards is a clear indication of the registry’s growing dysfunction.
The election’s collapse is part of a wider governance crisis that has plagued AFRINIC for years. With mismanagement and a lack of transparency, AFRINIC has failed to establish the trust necessary for effective leadership. The contested election only highlights the depth of the problems, leaving the future of Africa’s internet governance in jeopardy.
Also read: AFRINIC’s hidden scandal: How legal fees exposed a culture of corruption
Also read: Proxy voting reforms for AFRINIC: What a fair model should look like
Growing calls for AFRINIC’s dissolution
In response to this crisis, Cloud Innovation, AFRINIC’s third-biggest member, has called for the immediate dissolution of the registry. The company argues that AFRINIC’s leadership has become unworkable and that the organisation’s ongoing failures threaten Africa’s digital infrastructure. Cloud Innovation insists that the only way forward is a “necessary reset,” calling for ICANN and the Number Resource Organization (NRO) to immediately appoint a new Regional Internet Registry (RIR) to manage Africa’s IP resources.
With mounting frustrations over AFRINIC’s governance, the pressure is on ICANN and other stakeholders to address the situation before it undermines the region’s internet infrastructure further. The urgency of reform has never been more apparent, as the continent faces growing digital challenges.
