UK, UNITED KINGDOM, August 29, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- BTW Media today announced expanded coverage of the escalating crisis at the African Network Information Centre (AFRINIC). Once the Regional Internet Registry (RIR) for Africa, AFRINIC now faces legal, governance, and political turmoil that threatens the continent’s digital sovereignty.
Key Developments Under Review
Court-Appointed Receiver Under Scrutiny
In February 2025, the Supreme Court of Mauritius appointed Mr. Gowtamsingh Dabee, an insolvency practitioner with GD RICHES Chartered Accountant, as Receiver of AFRINIC. His mandate is to safeguard assets, reconstitute the Board, and organize elections. However, his June 2025 decision to cancel and nullify board elections triggered controversy and eroded confidence in his neutrality.
Judicial Intervention and Judge’s Resignation
In July 2025, Puisne Judge Nicolas Ohsan-Bellepeau was appointed as a special inspector to investigate AFRINIC’s affairs. His mandate included reviewing receivership, governance, and litigation history. However, following legal objections by Cloud Innovation, citing potential conflicts of interest, his appointment was suspended by injunction and he subsequently resigned. This development exposed deeper tensions between the judiciary, government, and corporate governance processes.
Registrar of Companies Oversight
On 18 July 2025, the Prime Minister of Mauritius declared AFRINIC a “declared company” under Section 230 of the Companies Act 2001. This designation empowered the Registrar of Companies, Mrs. Prabha Divanandum Chinien, to initiate a formal investigation. Mrs. Chinien, head of Mauritius’s Corporate and Business Registration Department, has drawn attention due to her family ties to a senior legal consultant involved in AFRINIC’s litigation.
Election Meltdown and Governance Collapse
In June 2025, AFRINIC attempted to hold board elections after years of paralysis. Yet, a single proxy vote dispute led the Receiver to invalidate hundreds of votes, cancelling the entire election. Members condemned this as an unprecedented democratic breakdown within AFRINIC.
External Interference and ICANN’s Role
Amid AFRINIC’s collapse, ICANN CEO Kurt Lindqvist signaled that ICANN could revoke AFRINIC’s recognition under ICP-2 and reassign its functions to another RIR. Critics described this as a centralized power grab, undermining multistakeholder internet governance and regional autonomy. Reports also surfaced of ICANN lawyers visiting AFRINIC premises without the Receiver’s consent, sparking accusations of interference.
African Sovereignty at Risk
African stakeholders, including the African Union (AU) and Smart Africa, have expressed concern that AFRINIC’s instability could result in the continent losing control over its internet infrastructure. Calls have intensified for democratic, transparent elections to restore AFRINIC’s legitimacy before external forces dictate its future.
BTW Media’s Editorial Focus
BTW Media’s reporting aims to provide:
Accountability Tracking — Monitoring the Receiver’s mandate, judicial interventions, and Registrar investigations.
Democratic Integrity — Scrutinizing AFRINIC’s election processes and the systemic barriers undermining accountability.
Global Governance Implications — Analyzing ICANN’s actions, sovereignty challenges, and the risks of centralization in internet governance.
About BTW Media
BTW Media (“Blue Tech Wave”) is a global technology news platform delivering authoritative reporting, analysis, and insight into internet governance, digital infrastructure, and the forces shaping the future of global connectivity.
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