Investigation Launched into AFRINIC as African Institutions Express Support before Upcoming Elections
The African Network Information Centre (AFRINIC), a regional internet registry that manages IP addresses and autonomous system numbers for 54 countries in Africa and the Indian Ocean, is currently under investigation by the government of Mauritius. The investigation, led by Puisne Judge Nicolas Ohsan-Bellepeau, was appointed as a special inspector with an exclusive focus on this inquiry until September 30, 2025.
The probe follows AFRINIC’s designation as a "declared company" under the Companies Act by the Prime Minister of Mauritius on July 18, 2025, placing AFRINIC under enhanced legal oversight due to a governance crisis. The key issues being investigated include allegations of mismanagement, corruption, and abuse of power within AFRINIC, the failure to conduct valid elections for its Board, and the halt in allocation of new IP addresses since November 2024, severely impacting Africa’s internet infrastructure and digital development.
The role of Cloud Innovation Ltd, a Chinese-owned AFRINIC member, is also under scrutiny. The company has been accused of attempting to change AFRINIC's membership status, filing for its winding up, and launching hundreds of court cases, which some believe may amount to criminal offenses under Mauritian law or an effort to paralyze AFRINIC’s core functions.
The investigation aims to restore transparency, confidence, and regulatory compliance in AFRINIC’s operations, with outcomes expected to influence internet governance standards broadly across Africa and internationally. The Mauritian government has appointed Judge Ohsan-Bellepeau, relieved from other duties, to lead the investigation, demonstrating the urgency and gravity Mauritius attaches to resolving these multi-faceted legal, organizational, and technological problems affecting AFRINIC.
In a separate development, AFRINIC has been operating without a board since 2022. The scheduled elections on August 29 will aim to fill these vacant positions. However, a user named "Paul_Mentat" recently posted a claim about a security vulnerability in AFRINIC's voter registration portal. AFRINIC has since denied the existence of such a vulnerability and explained that the information seen by "Paul_Mentat" was a test nomination created internally. The organisation is currently investigating the matter to understand how the test nomination information was accessed.
The African Union and Smart Africa have issued declarations and calls for AFRINIC to continue its operations and for the registry to observe its bylaws as it prepares for fresh elections. The Number Resource Organization is also expected to finalize a revised policy for dealing with dysfunctional registries in late 2025. This policy has been developed primarily in response to the issues at AFRINIC.
Despite multiple attempts, our website has not received responses from AFRINIC or the receiver regarding the annulled June election and the reasons behind Cloud Innovation Ltd's petition for AFRINIC's compulsory winding-up.
[1] Newsday (2025). AFRINIC investigation: What we know so far. [online] Available at: https://www.newsday.co.mu/articles/1120700/afrinic-investigation-what-we-know-so-far/
[2] ITWeb Africa (2025). Mauritius government places AFRINIC under enhanced legal oversight. [online] Available at: https://www.itweb.co.za/content/African-Network-Information-Centre-AFRINIC-Mauritius-government-places-AFRINIC-under-enhanced-legal-oversight-770477
[3] TechCentral (2023). Mauritius court places AFRINIC under receivership. [online] Available at: https://www.techcentral.co.za/mauritius-court-places-afrinic-under-receivership/
[4] African Network Information Centre (AFRINIC). AFRINIC's Response to Certain Allegations. [online] Available at: https://www.afrinic.net/en/community/policy-development/policy-proposals/policy-proposal-2025-001/afrinic-response-to-certain-allegations
[5] The East African (2025). Mauritius government appoints judge to investigate AFRINIC. [online] Available at: https://www.theeastafrican.co.ke/business/Mauritius-govt-appoints-judge-to-investigate-AFRINIC/slug/mauritius-govt-appoints-judge-to-investigate-afrinic/article-4347314
- The investigation into AFRINIC, led by Judge Nicolas Ohsan-Bellepeau, aims to restore transparency and regulatory compliance, particularly addressing allegations of mismanagement, corruption, and abuse of power within AFRINIC, as well as the halt in IP address allocation impacting Africa's internet infrastructure.
- The role of Cloud Innovation Ltd, an AFRINIC member, is under scrutiny due to allegations of attempting to change AFRINIC's membership status, filing for its winding up, and launching court cases, which some believe may amount to criminal offenses under Mauritian law.
- The African Union, Smart Africa, and the Number Resource Organization have issued declarations supporting AFRINIC's operations and adherence to bylaws, while a new policy for dealing with dysfunctional registries is expected to be finalized in late 2025 in response to the issues at AFRINIC.
- AFRINIC is currently under investigation for a security vulnerability claimed by a user named "Paul_Mentat" concerning the voter registration portal. AFRINIC has denied such a vulnerability's existence and is investigating the matter to understand how the test nomination information was accessed.
