The African Network Information Centre (AFRINIC) is the Regional Internet Registry (RIR) for Africa responsible for the management and distribution of Internet number resources; IP address space (IPv4 and IPv6) and Autonomous System Numbers (ASNs), in its service region, which includes economies in Africa and the Indian Ocean region.
Most of the organisations usually receive a small block of IP resources from their upstream Internet service provider. However, they have to rely on mechanisms such as NAT if they want to publish their reachable Internet services or connect their internal users and customers to the Internet. If an organisation requires IP addresses(minimum /24, i.e. 256 IPv4 addresses) to be used on its operational network or by its downstream customers, the organisation can become an AFRINIC resource member. They will then have their own public IP resources directly from AFRINIC.
This document outlines the process that an organisation must follow to become an AFRINIC resource member.
2. Benefits of membership
One of the critical benefits for a member organisation includes the possibility to change upstream providers without the need to renumber its networks and return the formerly used address space.
Other benefits for AFRINIC resource members include:
Grow and scale their networks and services without having to depend on Translation protocols or the upstream providers
Possibility to have redundant uplinks to the Internet to maximise uptime with least complexity and also be in control of routing information exchanges with their BGP peers
Option to independently manage Internet Routing Registry objects on the AFRINIC database
Acquire Resource Certification using RPKI for secure routing
Get Reverse DNS services for their IP addresses Security
Access to the MyAFRINIC portal to easily manage their IP resources
3. Type of Resource Membership
(A) A Local Internet Registry (LIR) - primarily assigns Internet resources to the users and customers of the network services it provides.
LIRs are generally ISPs, with customers consisting primarily of end-users and possibly other ISPs.
Hosting services providers, as well as any organisations that shall issue IPs to their customers or third-parties as part of a service offering, are also categorised as LIRs.
The minimum IPv4 allocation for an LIR is a /24 prefix(256 addresses) as per the current policy stipulations.
(B) An End User(EU) - is an organisation that receives assignments of IP addresses exclusively for use on its operational networks.
EU's are generally banks, universities, small organisations or individuals who will use the IP resources on their own network and not sub-assign the resources to third-parties.
Individuals requesting resource membership will qualify as End-User.
The minimum block of IPv4 addresses that can be assigned to an EU is a /24 prefix (256 addresses).
4. Fees
There are different member categories and fees based on the size of the address space and the operating activities of each organisation. To have more details on the applicable fees, you may refer to the AFRINIC membership fees schedule which can be accessed here.
Note that all invoices sent by AFRINIC are in USD.
Types of Fees
A)Allocation/Assignment fee - Upon conclusion of the evaluation of a resource request following the policies currently in place at AFRINIC, an allocation/assignment fee shall be invoiced as per the fees schedule.
It is a one-off fee that has to be settled before the IP resources are delegated to the member.
B) Membership fee - shall be charged based on the total aggregated size of all IP prefixes delegated to an organisation and type of resource member(LIR or EU).
For new members, it is prorated from the quarter of the financial year in which the resource approval date falls in; to the end of the year. The membership fee recurs on an annual basis.
Before submitting your application, it is recommended that you verify your eligibility for resource membership, understand what policies shall apply to your resource request and ensure you have all the required documentation as per the checklist below. If you need further clarifications regarding the requirements or you believe some conditions are not applicable to you or your organisation, please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Any missing or omitted document may lead to significant delays in the processing of a new membership request.
Resource Membership Application Process
Step 1 Average time: 30 minutes to fill and submit the form
(1) Application
After you have reviewed the eligibility criteria for AFRINIC Membership and IP resources and you believe that you or your organisation may qualify for AFRINIC Resource Membership, you can submit your application on the New Membership Registration Portal(NMRP). You will first have to register an account on NMRP before you can submit your application.
When you have submitted your application, you will receive an automated email with a ticket number - all correspondences shall be conducted and recorded in the ticket. If you believe you have additional documentation which shall ease your adherence as a member, you may reply to the email which you received and attach the documents, keeping the same subject line.
Step 1 Average time: 30 minutes to fill and submit the form
Step 2 Average time: 2 working days*
(2) Compliance checks
A member of the Customer Services team will carry out the preliminary administrative checks to determine your eligibility for AFRINIC membership. Your organisation’s registration papers(e.g Founding or Incorporation document), as well as phone numbers and email addresses provided, would be verified.
At this stage, you will also be asked to check the Registration Service Agreement (RSA) and ensure that it is filled in and signed.
Note: It is highly recommended to have more than one contact person to represent your organisation in all matters related to AFRINIC
Step 3 Average time: 4 working days*
(3) Evaluation
The request for AFRINIC Resource membership will then be handled by the Registration services team. The request will be evaluated against applicable policies and a hostmaster will contact you regarding the approval or if additional information is required.
Step 3 Average time: 4 working days*
Step 4 Average time: Invoice is due immediately after being issued.
(4) Invoicing & Payment
If your request is approved, you will receive an invoice for all the applicable fees. The invoice has a validity period of 45 days and payment can be made by electronic transfer or credit card.
If the payment is not made during the validity period, the approval of the request is deemed void and you will have to submit a new application to restart the application process.
After the payment is received and signed RSA is on record, AFRINIC shall issue the approved IP resources and activate your MyAFRINIC portal account.
The registration information will be accessible on the AFRINIC WHOIS database.
* The average time to complete each step in the process provided that the submitted membership request is complete - that is, all required documentation has been provided.
6. Eligibility
6.1 Eligibility for AFRINIC Membership
AFRINIC membership is open to all individuals and organisations geographically present and providing services in Africa as per sections 6.1 & 6.4 of the AFRINIC Bylaws.
A request should be made in the name of an entity based in the African region
The entity shall originate the services requiring IP resources from the AFRINIC service region.
Founding /incorporation document is a mandatory requirement. This can be a certificate from the local Registrar of Companies, an Act of Parliament
If requesting as an individual, provide a valid passport or driving license, with all information fully disclosed. We shall also require proof of legal address
Outcomes: AFRINIC shall match the designation of the requesting organisation with the incorporation documents. The applicant will be sought to provide relevant' name change certificate'/ documentation to justify any differences/discrepancies noted, should there be the necessity.
6.2 Eligibility for IP Resources
6.2.1
(A) Criteria for initial LIR allocation
Organisations seeking their first IPv4 or IPv6 assignment must meet the minimum standards, which are;
Be an AFRINIC resource member in good standing or be in the process of becoming an AFRINIC resource member
Have a plan to use IP number resources within the next eight months for IPv4 and 12 months for IPv6
Can demonstrate the existence of network infrastructure in Africa
Have a valid service license in the country of operation(If the service require a license in that country)
Comply with applicable resource policies. (These are documented in the Consolidated Policy Manual, accessible here.)
Individuals or organisations seeking an Autonomous System number must meet the following requirements;
Be an AFRINIC member in good standing or be in the process of becoming an AFRINIC member
Holds at least a /24 IPv4 or /48 IPv6 from an LIR or is seeking its first IP delegation from AFRINIC
Interconnect (including peering) with more than one AS
Show a unique routing policy or demonstrate a technical need for a coordinated globally unique ASN
An organisation will also be eligible if it can demonstrate that it will meet the above criteria upon receiving an ASN (or within the following six months).
(B) The relevant section of the CPM
Section 7.4 Eligibility for an AS Number assignment
7. Documents
7. Supporting Documentation For IP Resource Requests
As part of the process of requesting number resources from AFRINIC, the organisation submitting the request needs to demonstrate its IP addressing needs. This is usually done by submitting documentation to confirm how the application meets the specific requirements outlined by policy. To help ease this process, we provide below several types of literature that may be required.
Documents
Outcome
7.1
Provide an IP addressing plan for resources to be used within the AFRINIC service region clearly demonstrating the services involved and limited to 8 months projected requirements.
Inadequate details in IP addressing plans; failure to provide a detailed IP addressing plan undermines the justification on the need for IP address space being requested.
In the case of IPv6, the IP addressing plan should demonstrate the needs for the next 12 months.
AFRINIC Hostmasters will check the IP addressing plan - more details will give an indication of the scope of the deployment and also help to finalise the prefix size.
7.2
Provide a service license - If the operations are subject to obtaining an operator's license in the country where services are being deployed, a copy of the permit shall also be made available. Licenses are usually requested by prospective LIR members.
This is a required document for operators categorised as 'ISPs' and Mobile Operators as the license from the regulator is the starting point of their related operations.
This is not a mandatory document if the services do not require a license.
7.3
ISPs that are able to provide a comprehensive IP addressing plan and their service license are eligible to receive the minimum IP allocation as per policy, need to provide copies of signed connectivity agreements (E.g. Agreements with upstream bandwidth providers or transit providers).
Public IP resources are meant to be advertised to enable connectivity to the Internet.
Lack of this documentation shall entail delays in the evaluation process.
7.4
Provide copies of paid invoices or signed purchase orders for the equipment that will support the immediate need to deliver the services.
AFRINIC may request for the shipping documents and Customs clearance documents. You may obfuscate any financial details if needed.
Since AFRINIC allocates IP resources to be used to originate services from its service region, evidence of in-region infrastructure from which the services will originate shall be determined from such documentation.
It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that the documentation is availed to AFRINIC (considering their purchasing rules and third parties involved)
7.5
When requesting for an ASN, provide the AS numbers and contact details for at least one BGP peer or a local Internet Exchange Point(IXP) where the organisation is peering or planning to peer within the next six months.
In order to be eligible for an AS number, an organisation must interconnect (including peering) with more than one AS and show a unique routing policy or demonstrate a technical need for a coordinated globally unique ASN.
An organisation will also be eligible if it can demonstrate that it will meet the above criteria upon receiving an ASN (or within the following six months).
AFRINIC shall contact the BGP peer to confirm the peering agreement/negotiations.
Note: AFRINIC requires that all documentation data be accurate and verifiable. If we're unable to verify the accuracy of the data provided, we may request additional information to confirm your request data is correct.
In the table below, you will find the supporting documentation needed to process your membership application. It is highly recommended that you have the documents handy at the time you are submitting your request.
Type of Resource Request
Supporting documentation to demonstrate eligibility
8.1
LIR Initial Allocation
Minimum /24 IPv4 block and up to a maximum of /22 IPv4 block while still in Phase 2 of the soft-landing policy.
Provide evidence of the legal presence in Africa
Provide a Service License
Provide copies of signed connectivity agreements
Provide proof of network infrastructure presence in the region
Provide a comprehensive IP addressing plan outlining the immediate and eight months use of the requested IP address block.
Organisations may qualify for a more substantial initial allocation by providing a comprehensive renumbering plan for an existing network and customer base.
8.2
LIR Initial IPv6 Allocation
Minimum /32 IPv6 block
Provide evidence of the legal presence in Africa
Provide a Service License
Provide copies of signed connectivity agreements
Provide proof of network infrastructure presence in the region
Provide a comprehensive IP addressing plan outlining the immediate and 12 months use of the requested IP address block.
Organisations may qualify for a more substantial initial allocation by providing a comprehensive renumbering plan for an existing network and customer base.
8.3
EU Initial Assignment
Minimum /24 IPv4 block and up to a maximum of /22 IPv4 block while in Phase 2 of the soft-landing policy.
Provide evidence of the legal presence in Africa
Provide copies of signed connectivity agreements
Provide proof of network infrastructure presence in the region if the needs are higher than a /20 IPv4 block
Provide a comprehensive IP addressing plan outlining the immediate and eight months use of the requested IP address block. The immediate needs must be at less 50% of the IP block being required.
Organisations may qualify for a more significant initial assignment by providing a comprehensive renumbering plan for an existing network(s).
8.4
EU Initial Assignment
Minimum /48 IPv6
Provide evidence of the legal presence in Africa
Provide copies of signed connectivity agreements
Provide proof of network infrastructure presence in the region if the needs are higher than a /48 IPv6.
Provide a comprehensive IP addressing plan outlining the 12 months needs for the requested prefix.
Will announce the IPv6 prefix within the next 12 months
8.5
LIR/EU ASN Assignment
Provide evidence of the legal presence in Africa
Provide copies of signed connectivity agreements
Provide the exterior gateway protocol to be used
Provide the AS Number and contact details of at least one BGP peer.
If requesting an additional ASN, provide documentation detailing how the network for the requested ASN is autonomous from all existing ASes in your network
8.6
EU - IXP as Critical Infrastructure
Minimum /24 IPv4, /48 IPv6 & ASN for peering and the equivalent for management purposes per PoP.
Provide evidence of the lawful presence in Africa. If the IXP is not a legally registered entity, another organisation may represent the IXP.
Provide the ASNs and contact details of at least three BGP peers or the signed MoU by the peers.
Provide evidence showing that the IXP is public and open
8.7
EU - Root Server Operator as Critical Infrastructure
Minimum /24 IPv4, /48 IPv6 & ASN for peering and the equivalent for management purposes per PoP.
Provide evidence of the lawful presence in Africa.
Provide evidence for hosting a root server.
9. Discounts
AFRINIC offers discounts to its members based on the criteria below. The discounts are only attributed after AFRINIC Hostmasters have been able to confirm the member eligibility. In this regard, resource members may be requested to provide more documentation.
Educational Institutions - As per the current fees structure, educational institutions such as universities and Research & Education Networks(RENs) may be eligible for a 50% discount on all fees provided that the resources shall be used exclusively for not-for-profit academic or research activities.
Critical Infrastructure - AFRINIC offers a 100% discount to organisations requesting resources for Critical Infrastructure. This discount applies to the resources which would be used by the critical infrastructure.
Note: The AFRINIC membership fees schedule for these two categories can be viewed under section 5 here
One of the critical benefits for a member organisation includes the possibility to change upstream providers without the need to renumber its networks and return the formerly used address space.
