By: Nana Appiah Acquaye
The
Chairman of the AFRINIC Board of Directors, Prof. Wale Adedokun, has expressed
appreciation to AFRINIC members, community and partners for their continued
support, describing 2025 as a landmark and transformative year for the
organisation.
In
an end-of-year message issued on December 24, 2025, Prof. Adedokun acknowledged
the resilience, engagement and commitment of the AFRINIC community, noting that
their participation had been critical in strengthening the organisation’s
stability and advancing its mandate to support and grow Africa’s internet
ecosystem.
He
stated that sustained community involvement had enabled AFRINIC to uphold
transparent governance, reinforce community-led processes and responsibly
manage internet number resources for the benefit of the region, despite a
period marked by significant governance challenges.
According
to the Board Chair, 2025 marked a turning point for AFRINIC following the
successful conduct of elections that filled vacant Board positions and brought
an end to nearly three years of governance vacuum. This renewal, he said, was
strongly validated by the community through robust participation in key AFRINIC
events, including a Board–Community Engagement Session that attracted 261
participants and AFRINIC-36, the organisation’s Public Policy Meeting, which
recorded 168 participants.
Prof.
Adedokun noted that the renewed unity and high level of engagement had
energised the Board and reaffirmed its commitment to building a stronger, more
credible and more resilient AFRINIC capable of delivering on its mandate and
securing long-term effectiveness.
He
explained that upon assuming office, the Board prioritised urgent legal,
operational and administrative matters to stabilise the organisation and
resolve critical outstanding issues before embarking on longer-term strategic
planning. As part of this process, a Board retreat held in Mauritius focused on
developing a roadmap to transition AFRINIC from recovery to a phase of
sustainable stability and growth.
The
emerging roadmap, he said, is anchored on strengthening organisational
resilience and governance, rebuilding trust with members across the region,
enhancing regular and structured engagement between the Board and the
community, and improving transparency, accountability and communication around
AFRINIC’s activities.
Prof.
Adedokun reaffirmed that community engagement remains central to restoring
confidence in the organisation and disclosed plans to convene additional
engagement sessions in 2026. He also announced that AFRINIC’s strategic roadmap
would be presented in January 2026.
Concluding
his message, the AFRINIC Board Chair extended festive season greetings to the
community and expressed optimism for a new year defined by renewed hope,
strengthened collaboration and shared success.
