- AFRINIC’s inability to manage Africa’s IP resources and trust in governance has led to a crisis of credibility.
- Cloud Innovation Ltd. is calling for the registry’s dissolution, demanding urgent action to protect Africa’s digital future.
AFRINIC’s governance breakdown
AFRINIC, once the critical body responsible for managing Africa’s IP address allocation, is facing an existential crisis. Years of governance failures have led to its characterization as a “failed registry” with an irreparably broken system. The recent cancellation of the 2025 board election over an “unverified proxy dispute” further underscored AFRINIC’s dysfunction, as valid votes were discarded, and trust in the registry eroded. These issues have cast doubt on its ability to continue effectively managing Africa’s digital infrastructure, with experts warning that the continent’s internet development is at risk.
The situation has sparked serious concerns about the future of Africa’s IP resource management, with stakeholders across the region questioning whether AFRINIC can continue in its current form. Cloud Innovation Ltd., AFRINIC’s third-largest member, has become a leading voice in calling for the registry’s dissolution. The company’s demand for a “necessary reset” of the system is a response to the growing concerns over AFRINIC’s “unworkable” election standards and governance practices, highlighting the need for change to secure Africa’s digital future.
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
ICANN’s overreach and the push for reform
The crisis at AFRINIC has also attracted the attention of external bodies, most notably the ICANN. However, ICANN’s intervention has only served to exacerbate tensions, with many critics accusing the organisation of attempting to “undermine courts” and “over-extend its reach” in a bid to seize control of Africa’s internet governance. Through actions such as bypassing its own multistakeholder processes and pushing for the de-recognition of AFRINIC, ICANN’s motives are being questioned by those who fear the erosion of Africa’s “bottom-up” governance model.
In this context, Cloud Innovation has argued that the only path forward is for ICANN and the Number Resource Organization (NRO) to “immediately appoint a new Regional Internet Registry (RIR)” to take over AFRINIC’s responsibilities. Their call for the registry’s wind-up is a direct response to what they see as AFRINIC’s inability to reform and restore public trust. As the crisis deepens, the need for a new, more accountable body to manage Africa’s IP resources becomes increasingly urgent, as stakeholders push for a future where African nations can reclaim control over their digital destiny.
