Fraud Allegations Rock Afrinic Election, Criminal Case Opens

The Internet Service Providers’ Association (ISPA) has initiated a criminal case due to suspected fraud in the African Network Information Centre (Afrinic) board of directors election. The unfolding situation threatens the integrity of Africa’s internet infrastructure, with serious implications for the region’s digital future.

Election Suspended Amidst Concerns

Special elections for the Afrinic board were stopped on June 23, 2025, after significant irregularities were discovered. Afrinic, the Regional Internet Registry for Africa and the Indian Ocean, is responsible for allocating internet resources like IP addresses.

Between 2013 and 2016, Afrinic assigned over six million IP addresses to **Cloud Innovation**. However, in 2021, Afrinic’s board sought to reclaim these blocks, claiming that **Cloud Innovation** wasn’t operating as an IP broker and hadn’t used the addresses as originally intended. This led to legal battles, paralyzing Afrinic and prompting the appointment of an official receiver.

The receiver’s election guidelines raised further concerns. These included requirements for notarized letters for online voting, restrictions on new members voting, and the allowance of unlimited proxy votes. Stakeholders warned that these measures could be exploited, jeopardizing the election’s legitimacy.

Suspicious Powers of Attorney

On the day of in-person elections, individuals arrived with numerous powers of attorney. Some of these were reportedly for Afrinic members who had already voted online. Other members stated that powers of attorney were presented on behalf of their companies without their authorization.

The ISPA released a statement pointing out issues, including a lack of transparency in the elections. They noted that individuals brought over 800 powers of attorney, despite Afrinic having fewer than 2,400 members. There were also reports of individuals voting on behalf of resource holders using apparently fraudulent powers of attorney.

The ISPA stated, “While the nominations committee chairperson did eventually ‘suspend’ voting, it has become abundantly clear that the option for unlimited in-person voting based on unverified powers of attorney has opened up the Afrinic election to manipulation and potential fraud.” Consequently, **ISPA** opened a criminal case with Mauritian police.

The ISPA has called for full cooperation with the police investigation. They’ve asked for a complete list of organizations that had powers of attorney submitted on their behalf to make them aware of possible misrepresentation. They also want a review of election guidelines to ensure proper verification for in-person voting representatives.

The Stakes: Africa’s Digital Future

The ISPA emphasized the importance of a free and fair election for Afrinic’s board. Influence over Afrinic means control over a crucial element of Africa’s internet infrastructure. This controversy impacts internet resource management, which is essential for economic growth and technological advancement in the region. In 2024, the African internet economy reached $115 billion Statista.