- AFRINIC’s annulled election and governance collapse show how political interference and regulatory overreach can destabilise Africa’s digital future.
- New derecognition procedures released by Kurt Lindqvist highlight growing risks of centralised control undermining regional innovation.
AFRINIC’s collapse and political overreach
The crisis at AFRINIC has exposed the fragility of Africa’s internet governance model. What should have been a straightforward democratic election in June 2025 was abruptly annulled under instructions from a court-appointed receiver. According to the report, this annulment contradicted Mauritius’ constitutional framework, which protects the autonomy of non-profit associations. By allowing political influence to override a member-based process, authorities have blurred the line between independent governance and state control.
This breakdown has consequences far beyond boardroom disputes. Africa’s internet registry holds responsibility for allocating IP resources, vital for connectivity and economic development. Its failure erodes trust not only in its processes but also in the legal frameworks that should protect digital institutions from political capture. Overregulation framed as “oversight” risks paralysing Africa’s internet infrastructure at a moment when digital expansion is most needed.
Cloud Innovation’s Call for a Reset
In response to this governance vacuum, Cloud Innovation, AFRINIC’s third-largest member, has filed a formal petition to dissolve the registry. The company argues that the institution has reached a point of no return, where elections are rendered meaningless and operations suspended by legal disputes. Their call reflects a broader concern that Africa’s internet future cannot be left in the hands of a body unable to meet the basic standards of accountability.
Critics may see this as drastic, but the move signals a demand for continuity in IP address allocation, which underpins internet access and cloud services across the continent. A dissolved AFRINIC, followed by the establishment of a functional and transparent successor registry, could represent a “necessary reset.” Without decisive reform, businesses and innovators will continue to face uncertainty, undermining Africa’s ambitions to build resilient digital economies.
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New derecognition powers raise alarm
While AFRINIC falters, external actors are moving to expand their own influence. In June 2025, Kurt Lindqvist, CEO of ICANN, introduced an ICP-2 compliance procedures document that for the first time gives ICANN mechanisms to derecognise regional internet registries. Analysis has warned that this quietly shifts authority away from regional stakeholders, granting one office unprecedented oversight powers.
This development risks centralising decision-making at the expense of Africa’s bottom-up governance tradition. By layering new compliance reviews over already fragile structures, the approach creates uncertainty for local operators and investors. Instead of empowering African members to resolve AFRINIC’s crisis internally, the threat of derecognition deepens dependency on distant authorities. For innovators, the lesson is stark: regulatory overreach not only slows progress but actively destabilises the environment needed for growth.
Safeguarding Africa’s digital future
The convergence of AFRINIC’s collapse and the expansion of external oversight highlights the core dilemma: rule of law versus politics. AFRINIC is a membership-based non-profit bound by the Mauritius Companies Act, not a government agency. Yet its June 2025 election results were discarded under state instruction. Accepting this precedent risks normalising political capture of independent digital institutions across Africa, threatening the continent’s ability to chart its own course.
To protect innovation, Africa needs governance structures that respect member control while remaining shielded from opportunistic interference. Calls to dissolve AFRINIC may be controversial, but they underscore the urgency of establishing a successor that is truly accountable to African stakeholders. Overregulation, whether through domestic politics or international compliance schemes, stifles the very innovation it claims to safeguard. Restoring trust in governance—and respecting sovereignty—is the only sustainable path to Africa’s digital future.
