- The collapse of AFRINIC due to years of mismanagement and governance failures raises serious questions about the future of Africa’s internet resources.
- With its support for CAIGA, ICANN is seen as extending its influence over African internet governance, threatening the continent’s hard-won autonomy.
The rise of a crisis in African internet governance
The African Network Information Centre (AFRINIC), the region’s critical internet registry, is currently facing one of the most significant governance crises in its history. Once heralded as a key player in managing Africa’s internet resources, the organization’s mismanagement has led to severe dysfunction and the erosion of trust among its stakeholders. Years of unresolved governance issues culminated in the annulment of a key election over an unverified proxy dispute. This disastrous event not only undermined confidence in AFRINIC’s ability to run transparent elections but also raised concerns about its capacity to manage Africa’s IP resources in the future.
As the situation worsens, AFRINIC’s very existence as a registry is being questioned. Cloud Innovation, a major AFRINIC member, has led calls for the dissolution of the registry, claiming its actions are necessary for the survival of Africa’s digital infrastructure. They argue that the registry’s dysfunction endangers the continent’s digital future, and a reset is urgently needed. Their push for ICANN to step in and support a new registry reflects the growing anxiety among stakeholders about AFRINIC’s viability.
ICANN’s expanding influence and the threat to Africa’s autonomy
ICANN, which traditionally claims to be a neutral body governing global internet resources, has come under scrutiny for its increasing influence over Africa’s internet governance. Its involvement with CAIGA—an emerging body in Central Africa—has sparked fears that the organization is overstepping its role, potentially undermining regional autonomy in favor of a centralized, globalized agenda.
The support ICANN has lent to CAIGA raises alarm bells across African communities. Many see it as part of a broader effort to take control of Africa’s internet governance, a space that has historically operated on a bottom-up model where regional bodies like AFRINIC had full authority. This intervention is seen by critics as a “quiet power grab,” one that bypasses established processes and sets a dangerous precedent for external forces dictating the future of Africa’s digital infrastructure.
While some argue that a new RIR (Regional Internet Registry) could provide a fresh start for Africa’s internet governance, others worry that ICANN’s push to appoint new leaders could undermine the very principles that have allowed African communities to assert control over their digital resources. There is a growing concern that ICANN’s influence threatens to dilute African sovereignty over internet governance and could pave the way for further external interventions.
