AFRINIC

What AFRINIC does

AFRINIC (the African Network Information Centre) is one of five Regional Internet Registries (RIRs) globally and the sole RIR with jurisdiction over Africa and the Indian Ocean region. Headquartered in Ebène, Mauritius and operating as a private, membership-based, not-for-profit organization under Mauritian law, AFRINIC is responsible for allocating and managing IPv4 addresses, IPv6 addresses, and Autonomous System Numbers for over 2,400 member organizations across the continent. The organization was established in the early 2000s following a 1997 proposal and is governed through a multistakeholder model that includes elected boards, policy development processes, and a community of Local Internet Registries (LIRs) and network operators.

AFRINIC's core technology portfolio centers on Internet number resource management infrastructure. It operates authoritative WHOIS and RDAP (Registration Data Access Protocol) databases for registration data queries, an RPKI (Resource Public Key Infrastructure) program for cryptographic routing security, a DNSSEC program for DNS integrity, and an Internet Routing Registry (IRR) for routing policy coordination. Supporting services include reverse DNS delegation, a public Status API and Service Status page, member self-service through the MyAFRINIC portal, an AFRINIC Training Academy, a Fellowship Program that drew over 1,700 applicants for AFRINIC-37, and various Internet Development Programs. The organization collaborates with peer RIRs (ARIN, APNIC, LACNIC, RIPE NCC) through the Number Resource Organisation and engages strategic partners such as the Internet Society, ICANN, and the African Telecommunications Union.

Revenue is generated primarily through recurring annual membership fees paid by LIRs and resource-holding organizations, with a published fees schedule maintained in both USD and EUR; specific fee amounts are not publicly disclosed. The organization has been operating under duress in recent years: sustained litigation initiated in 2021 by Cloud Innovation Limited (over alleged misuse of IPv4 resources) and an associated winding-up petition drove the organization into a receivership that ended in November 2025, after which a new board was elected and operational recovery began. A Supreme Court of Mauritius interim order (May 2026) and ICANN's intervention have addressed the most acute legal exposure, but the underlying litigation continues as AFRINIC undertakes a formal governance and strategy refresh targeting 2027-2030.

Name

AFRINIC

Legal name

AFRICAN NETWORK INFORMATION CENTRE (AFRINIC) LTD

Website

https://afrinic.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

AFRINIC is the sole Regional Internet Registry for Africa and the Indian Ocean, allocating and managing IPv4, IPv6, and Autonomous System Numbers for over 2,400 network operator member organizations through a Mauritius-based, membership-funded non-profit.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Ebène

HQ country

Mauritius

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: AFRINIC generates revenue primarily through membership fees charged to Local Internet Registries (LIRs) and other organizations that hold or request Internet number resources (IPv4, IPv6, ASN) in the AFRINIC service region. Fees are assessed based on resource holdings and are structured in a schedule available to members.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

AFRINIC is the Regional Internet Registry (RIR) for Africa and the Indian Ocean region, responsible for allocating and managing Internet number resources (IPv4 addresses, IPv6 addresses, and Autonomous System Numbers) to Local Internet Registries, network operators, and member organizations. It provides supporting registry infrastructure services including the WHOIS database, RDAP query service, RPKI Resource Certification, DNSSEC deployment, and the Internet Routing Registry (IRR). Membership-based access to these resources and services is delivered online via the MyAFRINIC member portal, with annual membership fees structured by resource holdings.

Product overview

AFRINIC is the Regional Internet Registry (RIR) for Africa and part of the Indian Ocean region, responsible for managing IPv4, IPv6, and AS number resources. The organization operates as a not-for-profit, member-based organization with a portfolio of core registry services centered on Internet number resource management. The core offerings include the WHOIS and RDAP databases for registration data queries, RPKI (Resource Certification) and DNSSEC programs for routing and DNS security, and the Internet Routing Registry (IRR) for routing policy management. Supporting services include member portal access (MyAFRINIC), training programs (AFRINIC Academy), the Fellowship Program for emerging Internet leaders, various internet development programs, and utility tools like IP calculators, WHOIS Crypt, and the Lame Delegation Tool. The organization also provides a public Status API and Status Page for real-time service monitoring. All services operate under a multistakeholder governance model with community-driven policy development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• WHOIS Database Query-based access to registration data for Internet number resources (IP addresses, AS numbers) in the AFRINIC region, maintained in accordance with RFC 3912, for network operators, security researchers, and the public.
• RDAP (Registration Data Access Protocol) RESTful web service for querying registration data with standardized output formats, error structures, internationalization support, and user authentication/access control — successor to WHOIS protocol addressing its standardization and security deficiencies.
• RPKI (Resource Certification Program) Resource Public Key Infrastructure program enabling cryptographic verification of Internet number resource allocations for routing security, allowing network operators to create Route Origin Authorizations (ROAs) and prevent BGP hijacks.
• DNSSEC Program DNS Security Extensions program supporting secure DNS lookups, reverse DNS services for IP addresses, and hosting of authoritative servers for the IN-ADDR.ARPA and IP6.ARPA zones per RFC 5855.
• Internet Routing Registry (IRR) Database for network operators to describe and share routing policies using route/route6 objects or advanced RPSL attributes, enabling route validation and coordination in the AFRINIC region.
• Reverse DNS Reverse DNS delegation services allowing IP address holders to manage pointer (PTR) records for their allocated address space.
• IPv4 Address Management Allocation and assignment of IPv4 address space to organizations in the AFRINIC service region, including policies for exhaustion management.
• IPv6 Address Management Allocation and assignment of IPv6 address space to support Internet growth and the transition to IPv6 across the African region.
• ASN (Autonomous System Number) Management Allocation and assignment of Autonomous System Numbers for network operators requiring them for BGP routing and interconnection.
• MyAFRINIC Member Portal Member portal providing authenticated access for resource members to manage IP allocations, AS numbers, reverse DNS delegations, view invoices, and access member services.
• Training Services (AFRINIC Academy) Capacity building program offering validated knowledge and training to help the African Internet community deploy Internet technologies and align with industry best practices, including online courses and workshops for network engineers.
• Resource Transfers Policies and procedures for transferring Internet number resources between AFRINIC members.
• Fellowship Program Program developing a network of AFRINIC ambassadors across Africa by empowering emerging Internet leaders to engage in Internet governance, policy development, and technical discussions through participation in AFRINIC meetings.
• Internet Development Programs Suite of programs including Technical Community Development, African Research Collaboration, Diversity in ICT, African Critical Infrastructure Development, and African Internet Governance initiatives.
• WHOIS Crypt Data protection tool for WHOIS database users, employing cryptographic authentication methods (BCRYPT-PW, PGP, X.509) to protect update credentials.
• IP Tools Web-based tools for IP address calculations including subnet calculators, IP type conversions (6to4, MAC to EUI-64), and subnet working tools.
• Lame Delegation Tool Tool for identifying and resolving lame DNS delegations that fail to respond adequately to queries.
• Trust Anchor Locator (TAL) Resource for obtaining the Trust Anchor information needed to validate RPKI signed data.
• Root Server Copy Program Program enabling hosting of root server copies to improve DNS resolution infrastructure within the AFRINIC region.
• AFRINIC Status Page Real-time service status monitoring providing information about the operational status of AFRINIC services including WHOIS, DNS, RPKI, mailing lists, and member registration portals.

Quantifiable outcome

• Manages IP address resources for over 2,400 organizations across Africa
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers)coreOthers · 14 May 2026ICANN has been granted permission by the Supreme Court of Mauritius to intervene as a party in proceedings initiated by Cloud Innovation Ltd against AFRINIC (case reference SC/COM/PET/000508/2025). ICANN is the global coordinator of the RIR system and ASO Address Council parent organization.
• Internet SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 February 2026AFRINIC collaborates with the Internet Society on shared initiatives including the NRO RPKI Program, RPKI signed checklists research, and broader Internet development goals. The Internet Society has also supported AFRINIC's stabilization through advocacy and community engagement at events such as APRICOT 2026.
• Other Regional Internet Registries (RIRs) — ARIN, APNIC, LACNIC, RIPE NCCcoreTechnology or IntegrationAFRINIC collaborates with the four other RIRs through the Number Resource Organisation (NRO) and ASO Address Council. The NRO RPKI Program is a joint initiative providing coordinated route origin authorization tools and resources across all five RIR regions, enabling network operators working across multiple RIRs to create ROAs through each registry.
• African Telecommunications Union (ATU)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe African Telecommunications Union convened an ICTs Ministers Consultative Meeting on AFRINIC in July 2025, bringing together African governments to discuss AFRINIC's stabilization and the continent's digital future.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• LACNIC: Latin America and Caribbean Network Information Centre, the Regional Internet Registry serving Latin America and the Caribbean. Provides the same core registry and Internet number resource management services for a similarly emerging-market region.
• APNIC: Asia-Pacific Network Information Centre, one of the five Regional Internet Registries, providing identical registry services (IPv4/IPv6/ASN allocation, WHOIS, RDAP, RPKI) for the Asia-Pacific region. Direct functional peer with same business model and governance structure.
• ARIN: American Registry for Internet Numbers, the Regional Internet Registry serving North America and parts of the Caribbean. Provides equivalent registry and routing security services and is a co-developer of AFRINIC-compatible tools like the NicInfo RDAP client.
• RIPE NCC: Réseaux IP Européens Network Coordination Centre, the Regional Internet Registry for Europe, the Middle East, and parts of Central Asia. Operates the same registry service portfolio as AFRINIC under the same multistakeholder model.

Broad incumbents

• ICANN: Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, the global coordinator of the RIR system and parent organization of the ASO Address Council. Operates as a broader incumbent overseeing the global Internet identifier ecosystem that AFRINIC operates within.

Others

• Number Resource Organization (NRO): Coordinating body of the five RIRs, including AFRINIC. Functions as the umbrella organization for joint RIR initiatives such as the NRO RPKI Program that AFRINIC participates in.
• Internet Society: Global non-profit organization focused on Internet development, standards, and policy. Strategic partner of AFRINIC on RPKI programs and Internet development initiatives, sharing overlapping missions around Internet accessibility and security.

Regional players

• African Telecommunications Union (ATU): Continental intergovernmental organization for telecommunications in Africa. Engaged with AFRINIC on African digital infrastructure policy and convened ministerial consultations on AFRINIC's stabilization in 2025.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AFRINIC
• Facebookfacebook.com/afrinic
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/afrinic

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about AFRINIC