ICANN raises concerns over AFRINIC election irregularities

On 16 July 2025, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) issued an open letter to the Minister of Information Technology, Communication and Innovation of Mauritius and to Mr. Gowtamsingh Dabee, the court-appointed Receiver of the African Network Information Center (AFRINIC). The letter outlines ICANN’s concerns regarding AFRINIC’s recent election process, transparency shortcomings, and broader governance failures.

ICANN, which oversees the global coordination of the Internet’s unique identifier systems, formally recognised AFRINIC in 2005 as the Regional Internet Registry (RIR) for Africa and the Indian Ocean. Under this role, AFRINIC is entrusted with the public distribution of internet number resources, such as IP addresses, based on community-developed policies. These resources are not assets of AFRINIC but are public goods allocated for the benefit of the region.

In the letter, ICANN criticised AFRINIC’s handling of its annulled 2025 Board of Directors election. ICANN had previously sent letters on 25 June and 3 July requesting information on reported irregularities, including the use of forged powers of attorney, inconsistent voter registration procedures, and the lack of regional representation in the Nomination Committee. The responses provided by the Receiver were described as insufficient, offering limited information and no public disclosure of the findings from internal investigations.

ICANN also expressed concern about the involvement of Cloud Innovation Ltd., a resource member of AFRINIC, in efforts to influence the election and subsequently apply to dissolve AFRINIC through the Mauritian court system. ICANN emphasised that such actions contradict the cooperative, community-led structure of the RIR system and may be motivated by private commercial interests. The organisation reaffirmed that it does not support the dissolution of AFRINIC and called instead for the restoration of a legitimate and community-trusted governance structure through free and fair elections.

To address the crisis, ICANN proposed a series of remedial steps, including improved transparency, independent oversight of the election process, better member communication, and a restructuring of Board seat terms to align with AFRINIC’s bylaws. It also stressed the importance of defining clear eligibility criteria for members and candidates and called for an independent election expert to design a credible process. ICANN warned that it reserves the right to initiate a formal compliance review if AFRINIC fails to meet its obligations under the ICP-2 framework, which governs the criteria for RIR recognition.

This situation matters because AFRINIC is a cornerstone of Africa’s Internet infrastructure. Its proper functioning affects how IP addresses are distributed to Internet Service Providers, governments, civil society, and businesses across the continent. A breakdown in trust or neutrality could lead to fragmentation, undermine technical coordination, and jeopardise digital development efforts. The current crisis highlights the importance of transparent and community-driven governance in maintaining an open and stable Internet infrastructure for the African region.