[Community] Dissemination of WACREN Communique on the AFRINIC Governance Crisis

[Omo Oaiya]

Dear colleagues,

Attached is a WACREN Board Communique issued on 18 June 2025 concerning the governance and operational crisis at AFRINIC.

Since the communique was finalised, AFRINIC has announced that an injunction previously halting its election process was set aside by the Supreme Court of Mauritius. However, the underlying issues that prompted WACREN’s position remain unresolved and deeply concerning:

Continued exclusion of eligible resource members from voting, in violation of AFRINIC’s Bylaws;

Unresolved questions about how third parties gained access to voter information, undermining trust in the electoral process and raising concerns about the safeguarding of member data;

Ongoing delays and irregularities in the allocation of Internet number resources, directly affecting the ability of NRENs and other institutions to deploy essential infrastructure.

While WACREN’s core mandate is to serve the research and education community, our responsibility extends to the broader regional Internet governance environment. The current instability at AFRINIC threatens not only education and research, but the foundational infrastructure required for equitable digital development across West and Central Africa.

The communique, though prepared prior to AFRINIC’s latest announcement, remains timely and valid. It reflects WACREN’s continued call for:

The suspension of electoral activities until full procedural clarity and stakeholder confidence are restored;

Restoration of IP resource allocation functions to ensure operational continuity;

Reinstatement of voting rights for all qualified members;

A coordinated, multistakeholder dialogue to stabilise and reform AFRINIC in a manner that serves the public interest.

WACREN remains committed to constructive engagement and will continue to work with regional and global partners to ensure that Africa’s Internet governance institutions operate with transparency, accountability, and inclusivity.

For and on behalf of the WACREN Board



Omo OAIYA
Chief Strategy Officer/Directeur de la Stratégie | WACREN <https://www.wacren.net/>
m: +234 808 888 1571 , +233 536 269 987



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