The AFRINIC crisis, the regional internet registry responsible for distributing IP addresses and ASN numbers in Africa and parts of the Indian Ocean, has entered a new phase. The organization published an update on March 12th, condemning a “coordinated” series of legal actions that, in its view, are hindering the recovery of its operational stability. At the heart of the conflict is Cloud Innovation Ltd., the company linked to Lu Heng that received 6.2 million IPv4 addresses between 2013 and 2016 and has been engaged in a legal battle with the African registry for years.
What started as a dispute over the use of numeric resources has escalated into a fight impacting a critical piece of global internet governance. AFRINIC claims that demands, objections, and petitions driven by Cloud Innovation and other affiliated entities have cost millions of dollars in legal fees, blocked internal reforms, and contributed to keeping the organization in a state of institutional fragility. Cloud Innovation, for its part, denies AFRINIC’s interpretation and rejects the claim that it has violated the terms that justified the allocation of those addresses.
A conflict that goes far beyond a simple technical resource
The most sensitive aspect of the case lies in the scope of the allocated block. AFRINIC already stated in 2022 that Cloud Innovation had received 6.2 million IPv4 addresses “following expressed regional needs,” but later detected possible breaches of the Registration Service Agreement, the contract governing the use of those resources. In March 2021, the organization initiated contractual proceedings to revoke them, which, according to the registry itself, triggered a prolonged legal offensive.
This volume of addresses is significant. ARIN, North America’s registry, recalled in 2021 that Cloud Innovation had received those 6.2 million IPv4 addresses in four separate deliveries and added that, after reviewing the utilization of those blocks, the “overwhelming majority” did not appear to be used within the African continent. This observation is key because one of AFRINIC’s central arguments is that the governance model for regional registries is based on resources being assigned to serve their respective regions under community policies, not as assets without territorial ties.
Therefore, the dispute isn’t purely contractual. It also reflects two different perspectives on IPv4 in 2026. On one side is the classic registry view, where addresses remain scarce resources to be managed under community rules. On the other is the reality of a global market in which IPv4 addresses increasingly behave like valuable, transferable, and leasable assets, with a very real implicit price on the secondary market. AFRINIC avoids speaking of “ownership” in those terms, but the crisis clearly demonstrates how this scarcity has turned addresses into a commodity of enormous economic value.
Over 25 cases, frozen accounts, and an organization under pressure
AFRINIC summarizes the conflict with a very concrete figure: Cloud Innovation has filed more than 25 cases against the organization before the Supreme Court of Mauritius and 2 more before the Supreme Court of Seychelles, in addition to other actions initiated by affiliated companies such as Larus Cloud Service, Africa on Cloud, or Crystal Web. The registry itself states that some of these precautionary measures and interim orders temporarily prevented normal operations of its board of directors at various points.
The judicial timeline published by AFRINIC illustrates how much the conflict has escalated. In 2021, there were attempts to freeze the registry’s funds, defamation claims, requests to seize unallocated IPv4 resources, and even actions to halt internal decisions. In 2023, one of the most severe measures was the appointment of a receiver—an entity equivalent to a temporary judicial administration. And in July 2025, Cloud Innovation filed a petition seeking the liquidation of AFRINIC, a process that remains open according to the list of cases published by the organization itself.
ICANN has also closely monitored the situation. In March 2025, it reported that the Supreme Court of Mauritius had appointed Gowtamsingh Dabee as the new receiver for AFRINIC and ordered an accelerated electoral process to reconstitute the board. Later, ICANN publicly called for “free, fair, and transparent” elections, an unusual move reflecting how AFRINIC’s crisis had shifted from a local issue to a matter affecting the stability of the global internet registry system.
This process culminated, at least partially, in September 2025, when AFRINIC successfully held elections and announced a new board of directors. In its recent update, the organization describes an “unprecedented” level of participation and asserts that it is now striving to restore stable operations, audit accounts, address governance gaps, and resume normal services. However, it also admits that ongoing legal actions continue to delay this process.
Why this battle matters to all of Africa
The most troubling aspect of this saga is that AFRINIC is not just any company but the sole regional internet registry for the African continent. If its ability to allocate addresses, maintain databases, or enforce policies is paralyzed for too long, the damage extends beyond a corporate dispute. It impacts operators, universities, neutral points, companies, and new digital projects that rely on the registry functioning normally. In its statement, AFRINIC notes that recent allocations approved by the receiver have been challenged in court, making the dispute a direct threat to the regional connectivity ecosystem.
There is also a deeper political dimension. AFRINIC insists that private interests should not override the continent’s collective interests, while Smart Africa warned last year that dismantling the registry could threaten African digital sovereignty. This harsh language underscores how far-reaching the crisis has become: it’s not just about controlling 6.2 million IPv4 addresses but about who sets the rules governing critical internet resources in a region still striving for growth and independence.
Ultimately, AFRINIC’s saga offers an uncomfortable lesson for the industry: as long as the world treats IPv4 both as a scarce technical resource and as a high-value market asset, governance and commercial interests will inevitably clash. Africa is experiencing this firsthand, with its regional registry caught between courts, litigations, and a prolonged conflict that has already gone on too long.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is AFRINIC and why is it so important?
AFRINIC is the regional internet registry for Africa and parts of the Indian Ocean. It’s responsible for assigning IP addresses and ASN numbers, and for maintaining key services like WHOIS and RPKI within its region.
How many IPv4 addresses did Cloud Innovation receive?
According to AFRINIC and ARIN, Cloud Innovation received 6.2 million IPv4 addresses in four separate allocations between 2013 and 2016.
How many lawsuits has Cloud Innovation filed against AFRINIC?
The official AFRINIC FAQ states that Cloud Innovation has initiated over 25 cases in Mauritius and 2 in Seychelles, in addition to other actions by affiliated companies.
Is AFRINIC still under legal pressure in 2026?
Yes. AFRINIC continues to face objections to elections, challenges against new IP allocations, and the liquidation petition filed in July 2025—all while attempting to restore internal governance.
source: brandergroup