What Is AFRINIC and What Does It Do for Africa's Internet?

AFRINIC is the Regional Internet Registry (RIR) for Africa. It is responsible for allocating and managing Internet number resources — IPv4 addresses, IPv6 addresses, and Autonomous System Numbers (ASNs) — across the African region. If you need IP addresses or an ASN for a network in Africa, AFRINIC is the registry you deal with; if you want a voice in how those resources are governed, AFRINIC is also where the policy process happens.

What AFRINIC manages

AFRINIC's core function is registry services: distributing and recording the Internet number resources that networks need to operate and interconnect.

Alongside allocation, AFRINIC maintains the registry records that map these resources to their holders — the underlying data that keeps routing and addressing coherent across the region.

Who can become a member and what members get

AFRINIC operates a membership model. Resource members hold number resources and participate in the organisation's governance, including policy discussions. The site frames this directly: "every resource member has a seat at the table."

Membership connects you to:

• Registry services — obtaining and managing IPv4, IPv6, and ASN resources.
• Policy participation — shaping how Internet resources are managed in Africa.
• Learning and community — training, webinars, and events.

A dedicated New Membership Registration Portal is available for signing up, and existing members use it to access and manage their number resources.

How policy gets made — and how you participate

AFRINIC's Policy Development Process (PDP) is the mechanism through which the community decides how Internet resources are managed. Rather than policies being set unilaterally by the registry, they emerge from discussion and consensus among members and stakeholders.

The practical entry points are:

• Policy Development Process — learn the formal steps and how proposals move forward.
• Resource Policy Discussions — take part in the debates that shape outcomes.
• Events and meetings — participate in the decisions that shape Africa's Internet policy landscape.

A first-hand account on AFRINIC's blog illustrates what this looks like in practice: Rexa Mphuwa describes the journey "from feeling like an outsider to contributing to Internet policy discussions at AFRINIC-37 in Nairobi," making the point that every resource member has a seat at the table. The takeaway for a newcomer is that participation is open, but it starts with showing up — at a meeting, in a discussion, or through the survey channels.

Practical resources you can use

AFRINIC bundles its services into a few concrete entry points:

• Member Registration Portal — access membership and resource management.
• IPv6 Resources — manage your number resources, including IPv6.
• DNS Anycast Programme — access the name system anycast programme.
• Webinar Series — expert-led online training and capacity-building sessions.
• Upcoming Events & Meetings — participate in policy and community decisions.

Ways to get involved

Beyond holding resources, there are several low-commitment ways to engage:

• Take the members and stakeholders survey — the site notes it "takes only a few minutes" and asks what is working well, where to improve, and future priorities.
• Join the webinar series — build skills through online training.
• Attend events and meetings — including regional meetings such as AFRINIC 38.
• Follow news and blog posts — announcements, governance updates, and community stories.

Upcoming: AFRINIC 38

AFRINIC 38 is scheduled for 18 November 2026 in Cape Town, South Africa, with registration opening soon. Meetings like this are where policy discussions, community networking, and organisational updates come together — a practical first step if you want to move from observer to participant.

Governance note

AFRINIC's leadership is in transition. Mike Silber was appointed CEO Designate, appointed by the AFRINIC Board with the consent of the Receiver following a recruitment process led by the CEO Search Committee. He assumes office on 1 January 2027. The appointment was issued by the AFRINIC Board of Directors and the Receiver — a detail worth noting, since it reflects the organisation's current governance circumstances. Recent news also includes a Draft RIR Governance Document with a rationale report, and the constitution of the AFRINIC Appeal Committee.

The short version

AFRINIC is Africa's Internet registry: it allocates IPv4, IPv6, and ASNs, maintains the records behind them, and runs the community-driven policy process that governs how those resources are managed. You engage with it either as a resource member needing number resources, or as a community participant shaping policy — and the entry points for both are the membership portal, the policy discussions, and the events and webinars it hosts.