Dr. Fiona Asonga And Ben Roberts Elected To AFRINIC Board
AFRINIC, the Regional Internet Registry (RIR) for Africa successfully concluded its 2025 Board of Directors elections, ushering in a new era of leadership after four turbulent years.
The elections, held from September 10 to 12 under judicial and community supervision, mark a turning point for the organization that has been beset by internal disputes and lawsuits that crippled its operations.
Among the newly elected officials are Dr. Fiona Asonga, PhD (East Africa) and Ben Roberts (Non-regional/Independent), two highly respected figures in Africa’s ICT landscape.
Dr. Asonga, a seasoned ICT specialist, serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the Technology Service Providers Association of Kenya (TESPOK), the body that operates the Kenya Internet Exchange Point and the Industry Computer Security Incident Response Team. At TESPOK, She has been a key liaison between the private sector and governments in East Africa on ICT policy and regulation, particularly through her work with the East Africa Communications Organization (EACO).
Joining her is Ben Roberts, a veteran IT leader in Kenya, currently the Strategic Advisor on Subsea Cable Economics for Connectivity at UNICEF. Roberts previously served as Group Chief Technology and Innovation Officer at Liquid Telecom Group, where he spearheaded the expansion of Liquid’s pan-African fibre network, bolstering the continent’s connectivity and backbone infrastructure.
The 2025 AFRINIC elections brought together a diverse and experienced group of leaders from across Africa and beyond:
- Seat 1: Abdelaziz Hilali (North Africa)
- Seat 2: Adewale Adedokun Emmanuel (West Africa)
- Seat 3: Kaleem Ahmed Usmani (Indian Ocean)
- Seat 4: Laurent Ntumba Kayemba (Central Africa)
- Seat 5: Carla Sanderson (Southern Africa)
- Seat 6: Dr. Fiona Asonga, PhD (East Africa)
- Seat 7: Ben Roberts (Non-regional/Independent 2)
- Seat 8: Adewole David Ajao (Non-regional/Independent 1)
Stakeholders praised the new board for its collective expertise and commitment to restoring stability and trust in the governance of Africa’s internet resources.
In the coming months, the board will focus on re-establishing operational stability in IP resource allocation, a critical step to ensure Africa’s networks receive the addresses they need for growth. It also plans to improve transparency and accountability across all decision-making processes, strengthening the organization’s credibility with members and regulators. Equally important will be efforts to deepen community engagement, bringing together governments, private sector players, and civil society to rebuild confidence in the registry’s role. Underpinning all of these goals is the drive to achieve long-term financial sustainability, ensuring that AFRINIC can deliver on its mandate without disruption.
The successful elections are widely seen as a long-awaited course correction for AFRINIC, promising to rebuild confidence and continuity in the organization’s mandate as the steward of internet number resources across Africa.
