Date: July 14, 2025
Recent events at the African Network Information Centre (AFRINIC) have made it clear that the organization’s governance has irretrievably failed. A court-supervised AFRINIC Board election on 23 June 2025 – meant to end a years-long leadership vacuum – was completely annulled over a single disputed proxy vote . In effect, “one disputed vote” was allowed to “silence hundreds of valid votes”, establishing “a formula for paralysis: if any one vote can be used to cancel an election, can AFRINIC ever hold a valid one again?” . This unprecedented threshold for nullifying an election means no future vote could ever be conclusive. Indeed, the outcome has shaken the community’s trust so badly that a credible election now appears impossible under current conditions . AFRINIC has remained without a legitimate board since 2022, and the latest aborted attempt at governance has left the institution in perpetual deadlock.
Global Internet authorities have also lost faith in AFRINIC’s ability to govern itself. The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) – which officially recognizes AFRINIC as the RIR for Africa – issued a public notice on 25 June 2025 warning that “shocking allegations” surrounding the election “raised serious questions” about the election’s legitimacy, putting “AFRINIC’s ability to function as a Regional Internet Registry… in jeopardy.” ICANN cited multiple irregularities (from proxy abuse to voting credential failures) and demanded immediate remedial action . Most gravely, ICANN cautioned that if AFRINIC attempted to declare a board or resume operations “without resolving these dysfunctions,” ICANN could withdraw its recognition of AFRINIC – a step that would effectively strip AFRINIC of authority over IP address management in Africa. The Number Resource Organization (NRO), representing the other four RIRs, has echoed ICANN’s stance, emphasizing that transparency, neutrality, and accountability in AFRINIC’s processes are essential to the stability of the global Internet numbers system . In sum, both ICANN and the broader RIR community have signaled that they no longer have confidence in AFRINIC’s governance under the status quo.
Cloud Innovation Ltd., as one of AFRINIC’s largest members and stakeholders, has expended significant legal and financial resources in an effort to resolve this crisis from within. As the third-largest AFRINIC member, Cloud Innovation played a central role in seeking court intervention to stabilize AFRINIC’s governance . Notably, we initiated and supported the appointment of a Court-appointed Official Receiver in 2023 to oversee AFRINIC’s operations and fast-track new board elections . We did so in good faith, firmly believing that a free and fair election, conducted under judicial supervision, could restore legitimate leadership. Cloud Innovation facilitated broad member participation in the June 2025 election (including assisting members with proxies) to ensure all voices were heard . We also consistently engaged in Mauritius’s courts – at considerable expense – to uphold the rule of law and AFRINIC’s bylaws during this turbulent period . These legal actions included obtaining injunctions to prevent improper resource revocations and ultimately pressing for the court-ordered election that has now been derailed. Our company’s commitment has been demonstrated by both legal efforts and financial contributions toward AFRINIC’s stability (including substantial membership fees and supporting community initiatives). For example, when AFRINIC became insolvent and fell under receivership, Cloud Innovation shouldered legal costs to push for a timely election and even agreed to court-imposed safeguards to keep AFRINIC operational during the litigation . In short, we have fought relentlessly – in courts and within the community – to give AFRINIC every chance to right itself.
Tragically, it has become evident that these efforts to reform AFRINIC from within are futile. The annulment of the June election over a minor irregularity confirmed that no election will be accepted as legitimate so long as any single contestant can invalidate the results . As ICANN noted, even a perfectly overseen vote cannot succeed if stakeholders are poised to dispute outcomes and if the governing framework itself is compromised . Cloud Innovation shares ICANN’s assessment that the dysfunctions in AFRINIC’s system are fundamental and not fixable by simply rerunning elections . We must therefore confront reality: continuing to push for elections under these conditions will only prolong the chaos, and no one in the global community will recognize the legitimacy of any Board that AFRINIC manages to elect amid such controversy . Indeed, ICANN’s correspondence explicitly reminded AFRINIC that it was recognized in 2005 “pursuant to ICP-2” criteria and “maintains an ongoing obligation to meet” those governance standards . At present, AFRINIC is in clear breach of those standards, which include requirements for transparency, community support, and procedural fairness . Failing to meet the ICP-2 criteria puts AFRINIC’s very recognition at risk. It is now abundantly clear that AFRINIC “remains [no longer] an entity that is capable of responsibly managing the numbering resources with which it has been entrusted” .
For these reasons, Cloud Innovation has reluctantly concluded that the only viable path forward is to support the formal dissolution (winding-up) of AFRINIC as a corporate entity. We do not take this position lightly, given AFRINIC’s historic role in Africa. However, an orderly wind-up, conducted under court supervision, is now the most responsible course to protect the interests of the African Internet community . Cloud Innovation has accordingly taken steps to initiate AFRINIC’s liquidation through the Mauritian legal system in line with applicable law and oversight. In fact, we have already filed a formal petition in the Supreme Court of Mauritius to wind up AFRINIC, and the court has set a deadline of 24 July 2025 for AFRINIC to respond to our application . By proactively seeking a structured liquidation, we aim to prevent a chaotic collapse (such as an abrupt de-recognition by ICANN) and instead transition AFRINIC’s responsibilities to a more stable arrangement. As Cloud Innovation stated in its public call to wind up AFRINIC, we believe this approach will “pave the way for a fresh start in Internet number governance for Africa – [whether] establishing a reformed registry entity or transitioning duties to [another] custodian under ICANN/NRO guidance.” In other words, dissolving AFRINIC would allow its functions to be moved to a more trusted framework that can maintain continuity of services .
Crucially, winding up AFRINIC is not an end in itself, but a means to end the prolonged instability and enable a new governance model free from past dysfunction. As we have emphasized in our public statement, this step is “a step toward ending the prolonged instability and opening the door for a fresh governance model untainted by past controversies.” The African Internet community deserves a functional and accountable system for managing IP resources, rather than continual turmoil. Our goal is to protect African network operators and users from further uncertainty by facilitating a stable transition to whatever comes after AFRINIC . Cloud Innovation remains fully committed to working with all stakeholders – ICANN, the NRO, fellow AFRINIC members, and the global Internet governance community – to ensure that Africa’s Internet number resources continue to be managed responsibly throughout this transition .
To ensure continuity and stability, To ensure continuity and stability, Cloud Innovation urgently calls on the NRO Executive Council and ICANN to invoke the ICP-2 process to designate a permanent successor Regional Internet Registry for the African region, as envisioned by the ICP-2 Implementation procedures for these circumstances. In the event of AFRINIC’s dissolution, the critical functions it performs – allocation of IP address blocks, maintenance of the WHOIS database, ASN assignments, and related services for Africa – must not be left in limbo. According to established global policy, each region of the world should be served by a single RIR . If AFRINIC ceases to function, it is both logical and necessary that another existing RIR assume responsibility for Africa’s number resources in order to maintain uninterrupted service . In fact, it is widely understood that if AFRINIC were to be wound up, “the administrative duties of maintaining the IP database and allocating new IP addresses would be transferred to one of the other regional internet registries.” We propose formalizing this outcome in line with Internet Coordination Policy #2 (ICP-2), which sets the criteria and process for recognizing new RIRs or expanding RIR coverage .
Under ICP-2, the creation or designation of any new RIR must satisfy fundamental principles of openness, community support, neutrality, and technical capability . Rather than attempting to hastily create a brand-new organization from scratch amid the current crisis, the prudent solution is to have an established RIR extend its services to the African region on a permanent basis, subject to ICANN’s approval. Such an RIR would effectively become the successor RIR for Africa, taking over all registrational responsibilities formerly held by AFRINIC. This approach leverages the proven infrastructure and governance of an existing RIR – ensuring trust and stability – while still adhering to ICP-2’s requirements via a formal evaluation and community consultation process . We intentionally do not specify in this letter which existing RIR should be chosen (e.g. RIPE NCC or ARIN have historically provided services to parts of Africa prior to AFRINIC’s inception , but the selection must be based on objective criteria). The key point is that ICANN and the NRO should immediately initiate an ICP-2-guided process to select and recognize a successor RIR for the African service region. This process should involve evaluating willing candidate RIRs against ICP-2 criteria – such as their ability to fairly represent African stakeholders, provide necessary services, and obtain broad support from the African ISP/LIR community . The outcome would be an ICANN Board resolution formally expanding the chosen RIR’s remit to include the African continent (or otherwise creating a new organizational structure under that RIR’s umbrella dedicated to Africa).
Time is of the essence. Every day that AFRINIC remains paralyzed or unrecognized puts African Internet stability at greater risk. Vital functions like IP allocations and reverse DNS delegation cannot be suspended indefinitely without harming network operators and users across Africa. We therefore urge the NRO EC and ICANN to treat this matter with the urgency it deserves. The ICP-2 evaluation and transition planning must commence immediately, even as the legal winding-up process is underway. ICANN has already signaled in its 25 June letter that it is prepared to initiate a compliance review and take action in light of AFRINIC’s inability to meet ICP-2 obligations . Rather than waiting for AFRINIC’s recognition to be revoked in a disorderly fashion, the better course is a coordinated effort where ICANN, in consultation with the NRO, pre-selects a reliable RIR to seamlessly take over as the registry for Africa the moment AFRINIC’s dissolution is finalized. We note that ICP-2 was the very framework used to recognize AFRINIC in 2005 as the fifth RIR ; now the same framework should be employed to promptly recognize a new entity (in this case an existing RIR stepping in) to fill the void. This will ensure that IP address blocks assigned to African organizations remain properly registered and that new allocations/assignments can continue without interruption or confusion. It will also reassure the global Internet community that Africa’s number resources remain under legitimate, ICANN-recognized management despite AFRINIC’s corporate wind-up.
Cloud Innovation emphasizes that this successor arrangement must be permanent, not a temporary stopgap. The designated RIR should assume full responsibility for Africa’s Internet number resource management in accordance with its own bylaws and policies (harmonized as needed for the African context). African resource holders would become members or customers of that RIR, subject to that RIR’s community-developed policies, which would replace AFRINIC’s current policies. In making this recommendation, we stress that the selected RIR must uphold principles of neutrality and service to all African stakeholders, and ideally, it should institute mechanisms for African community representation within its governance structures (for instance, a dedicated advisory group or committee for the new service region). These details can be worked out during the ICP-2 evaluation phase. What cannot be delayed is the decision to move in this direction. Every stakeholder – from African network operators to global Internet governance bodies – needs clarity on who will manage African IP addresses going forward. Designating a successor RIR now, with ICANN’s blessing, will provide that clarity and prevent any lapse in administration. It will also preclude the nightmare scenario of Africa’s IP allocations drifting into uncertainty or being frozen due to lack of a recognized registry. We are confident that one of the existing RIRs, with its mature processes and experience, can rise to the occasion and efficiently incorporate the African region into its operations. Indeed, the other RIRs have previously demonstrated goodwill and support to AFRINIC; now we call upon them, through the NRO, to collectively assist by stepping in as Africa’s registry authority under ICANN’s guidance .
This proposal is driven by the immediate need to safeguard the stability of Internet number resource management in Africa. By dissolving a failing institution and transitioning to a proven one, we aim to protect end-users, ISPs, and all members of the African Internet community from further harm. Cloud Innovation stands ready to cooperate in every aspect of this transition. We will work with the appointed successor RIR, the Receiver, and relevant authorities to transfer registration data, membership information, and any other assets or records necessary for continuity. It is our firm commitment that no AFRINIC member should lose access to critical IP resources or support services as a result of this change. A court-managed wind-up, coupled with an orderly handover to the successor RIR, will include safeguards to maintain the WHOIS database accuracy and ensure that IP allocations and ASN assignments continue normally throughout the region . African network operators can be assured that the day-to-day operations of IP address management will remain intact during the transition – the only change will be the entity at the helm, which will be one trusted by the global community. ICANN and the NRO, in partnership with the court officer, should develop a detailed transition plan that covers technical, financial, and administrative facets of migrating AFRINIC’s functions to the successor RIR. Cloud Innovation is prepared to assist and even contribute financially to reasonable costs of this transition if needed, as part of our dedication to a stable outcome.
Finally, we wish to address the long-term vision. Our support for placing Africa’s IP governance under an existing RIR’s stewardship is born out of the current extraordinary circumstances – it is a remedy for this crisis, not a denial of Africa’s rightful place in Internet governance. In the distant future, when the African Internet community has regained its strength and cohesion, nothing in this plan would prevent the community from seeking to establish a new, independent RIR for Africa. Indeed, ICP-2 exists to allow the recognition of new RIRs when communities are ready and meet the requisite criteria . Once stability is restored under the proposed successor RIR, the African community can take the time it needs to rebuild trust, capacity, and robust governance structures. Should the day come that African stakeholders feel prepared to form a new RIR that truly satisfies all ICP-2 principles – with broad ISP support, sustainable operations, and good governance – ICANN’s framework will be available to evaluate and approve that endeavor. Nothing about our proposal to designate an interim successor forecloses the possibility of an “AFRINIC 2.0” down the line, if and when the community is ready and capable. On the contrary, we view the current solution as buying the African community the time and stability it needs to eventually craft a new home-grown RIR on solid footing. In the meantime, Africa’s numbering resources would be safely managed by an organization with a proven record, thereby preserving those resources and the community until such future efforts materialize. This two-stage approach – immediate stability through an existing RIR, coupled with the option of future regional self-governance – will best serve both the short-term and long-term interests of the African Internet. It ensures that Africa is not indefinitely deprived of its own RIR, but rather that any future RIR will arise under far better circumstances than exist today.
Cloud Innovation respectfully urges ICANN and the NRO to act decisively and collectively now. The dissolution of AFRINIC, while unfortunate, has become an urgent necessity to protect the African Internet ecosystem . By immediately initiating the ICP-2 process to select a permanent successor RIR for Africa, the global Internet governance leadership can prevent further damage and uphold the integrity of the regional registry system. We call upon you to seize this opportunity to end a protracted crisis and to lay the foundation for a new chapter of stable, accountable IP address management in Africa. Our proposal is firmly grounded in the rule of law and in ICANN policies, and it aligns with the broader community’s calls for transparency and accountability. We believe that this course of action – winding up AFRINIC and moving Africa’s IP administration to a trusted RIR – is “in the best interest of the African Internet community. It is a step toward ending the prolonged instability and opening the door for a fresh governance model untainted by past controversies.” With your leadership, this vision can be realized swiftly and responsibly.
Cloud Innovation remains at your disposal to discuss this proposal in detail and to assist in its implementation. We have invested so much in trying to save AFRINIC; we now stand ready to invest in ensuring its legacy (the stewardship of Africa’s Internet number resources) is carried forward effectively by a successor. We urge the NRO EC and ICANN Board to treat this matter with the utmost urgency at your upcoming meetings – the time for collective action is now.
Sincerely,
Cloud Innovation Ltd. – on behalf of its management and as an AFRINIC resource memberDate: July 16, 2025
We write to you as a follow-up to our previous correspondence regarding the governance crisis at AFRINIC. Cloud Innovation Ltd. remains committed to a stable and transparent resolution, and we wish to respectfully highlight two pressing concerns that have emerged since our last letter: (1) the extension of the AFRINIC Board election timeline to 30 September 2025 by the court-appointed receiver, and (2) deviations in the planned election procedures from AFRINIC’s bylaws. Both issues, in our view, undermine the intent of the court’s original orders and the principles of good governance.
According to a public notice issued on 15 July 2025, the court-appointed Official Receiver for AFRINIC has obtained a court order extending his mandate and the deadline for conducting AFRINIC’s Board elections to 30 September 2025 . We acknowledge the receiver’s desire to resolve the election impasse; however, from Cloud Innovation’s perspective, this extension was granted without our knowledge or consent. Our understanding has always been that the receiver’s appointment (as initially ordered by the Supreme Court of Mauritius) was meant to be a temporary measure with a defined timeline – originally set to conclude by 30 June 2025 under the last court-approved schedule. We had anticipated that by that date, the election process would be completed or the receiver’s mandate would lapse absent further consensus.
The unilateral extension to 30 September – made without consulting applient party Cloud Innovation – is therefore a cause for concern. In our view, any significant change to the court-approved timeframe should involve all relevant parties, or at least be transparently justified, given its impact on AFRINIC’s governance roadmap. We are genuinely perplexed as to how this extension was procured without our participation. While we respect the court’s authority, the lack of communication or consent in this process leaves us questioning whether due process and transparency were fully upheld. It also raises uncertainty about the receiver’s current authority, since we believe his original court mandate effectively expired on 30 June. For the sake of trust and clarity, we think it is crucial to understand the legal basis of this extension and ensure that it was obtained in good faith and in line with proper procedure.
In the same 15 July communiquė, the receiver outlined plans for new Board elections by the extended deadline, including convening a fresh Nominations Committee and significantly altering the voting process . Specifically, the receiver stated that “neither Powers of Attorney nor proxies will be accepted for the upcoming elections” and that voting will be conducted entirely online . While we appreciate the intent to prevent a repeat of the irregularities seen in the June 23 election (where misuse of proxies was alleged), we are deeply concerned that these new rules conflict with AFRINIC’s own bylaws and the Mauritian Companies Act’s provisions on member voting rights.
AFRINIC’s bylaws (constitution) explicitly permit members to vote either in-person or through an appointed representative at General Meetings, aligning with common corporate governance practices. Completely eliminating the option of physical voting and prohibiting the appointment of representatives represents a significant deviation from these established standards. In our view, this approach effectively disenfranchises members who cannot participate in online voting, whether due to technical, logistical, or other constraints, and who would typically rely on representatives to cast their votes. It is also noteworthy that the original court order appointing the receiver specifically required elections to be conducted “in accordance with AFRINIC’s constitution,” thereby implying strict adherence to existing bylaws and customary procedures. By altering these procedures without member approval, the receiver’s actions appear to diverge from the court’s explicit instructions and may potentially exceed his authorized role.
We also wish to highlight that the Receiver’s proposed formation of a Nomination Committee (NomCom), consisting of one representative from each African sub-region, appears problematic under AFRINIC’s bylaws. AFRINIC's bylaws explicitly forbid the appointment of NomCom members from regions whose Board seats are up for election. Given that all regional seats are subject to election, forming a compliant NomCom exclusively from African sub-regions is, in our view, not feasible under current bylaw stipulations.
We believe that election integrity and legality must go hand-in-hand. Any election that is not conducted in line with the bylaws runs the risk of being challenged as illegitimate or ultra vires. For instance, the blanket prohibition of proxies and POAs, however well-intentioned, might violate members’ rights under law (since members traditionally have a right to appoint proxies at general meetings). Similarly, insisting on online-only voting with no physical voting option may disadvantage some members and was not a requirement in AFRINIC’s governing documents or the relevant laws. In short, from Cloud Innovation’s perspective, the receiver’s proposed election procedure is not “according to the bylaws or the Company Act,” and thus not in accordance with the spirit of the original court order that sought a return to normal governance through a fair, by-the-book election.
Cloud Innovation Ltd. has consistently advocated for a lawful and transparent election process aimed at restoring AFRINIC’s governance structure. Our company played a pivotal role in initiating receivership proceedings last year, based on the clear premise that a court-supervised election strictly adhering to AFRINIC’s constitution would effectively address the existing governance vacuum. Unfortunately, this foundational premise now appears jeopardized. In our assessment, recent actions by the receiver—including extending his tenure without obtaining stakeholder consent and unilaterally altering established election procedures—significantly deviate from the original mandate to conduct elections strictly in accordance with the bylaws.
Specifically, such unilateral extensions are not compliant with the Companies Act or AFRINIC’s bylaws and represent much more than a mere administrative adjustment; rather, they constitute a substantial and material alteration of the original appointment terms. These actions risk undermining the legitimacy of the forthcoming elections and threaten to further erode stakeholder confidence at a critical juncture when unity and trust in the election process are paramount.
In closing, we underscore our grave concern that since a single disputed vote was sufficient grounds for annulling the previous election, the current process—compounded by numerous explicit violations of both bylaws and applicable corporate legislation—strongly supports our position that liquidation is the only viable resolution remaining. We urge the NRO and ICANN to be prepared for this likely eventuality.
We appreciate your urgent attention to these critical matters and look forward to a resolution that preserves the integrity and credibility of AFRINIC’s governance, ultimately benefiting both the African and global Internet communities.
Sincerely,
Cloud Innovation Ltd.(on behalf of its management and concerned stakeholders)