The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) announced on October 7, 2026, that 16 applications from Africa were submitted as part of its new generic top-level domain (gTLD) round. This figure represents about 0.99% of the global total of 1,615 applications. Notably, 10 of these applications—62.5% of the regional total—were made by Innovation Service Limited, a company based in Seychelles and controlled by businessman Lu Heng.
This situation intertwines with a larger conflict surrounding Africa’s Internet resources, particularly regarding the African Network Information Centre (AFRINIC). Lu’s other enterprise, Cloud Innovation, was allocated approximately 6.2 million Internet Protocol (IP) addresses by AFRINIC. In a controversial move, Cloud Innovation has advocated for the dissolution of AFRINIC, the agency responsible for managing those IP addresses. Both ICANN and AFRINIC have been called to account for their roles in the ongoing discussions about transparency and accountability in managing Internet resources.
African Applications for New gTLDs
Innovation Service’s application documents explicitly name Lu Heng as the company’s director, officer, and ultimate controller, indicating his significant influence over the firm. The ten gTLD applications include domains such as .connect, .donate, .faq, and .vpn, among others. There are also alternative strings proposed that could alter the total count of applications.
The remaining six applications came from different entities: the Kenya Network Information Center applied for .safari, HOST AFRICA from South Africa applied for .lodge, and four companies from Mauritius applied for .audit, .therapy, .voice, and .wealth. This distribution underlines a lopsided regional participation in the gTLD application process.
Lu’s involvement in the domain registry sector has historical roots, especially with his acquisition of the .help domain which was previously associated with UNR Corporation. The transfer agreement, dated April 2022, identifies Innovation Service as the new registry operator, with specific stipulations that do not confer ownership rights of the .help namespace. This domain acquisition sets a context for Lu’s current applications but raises questions about the implications of a single operator controlling multiple gTLDs.
Cloud Innovation’s presence further complicates the picture, as it holds a significant portfolio of IP addresses, which have sparked legal disputes regarding their allocation and usage. While Lu claims compliance with established guidelines, there have been allegations of potential misconduct surrounding the global distribution of these addresses, particularly concerning their primary use outside Africa. The broad critique of this model questions whether it meets the region’s needs and serves the larger community effectively.
Legal disputes tied to AFRINIC have also highlighted tensions regarding its governance and financial transparency. Legal battles, which began in 2021 when Cloud Innovation froze AFRINIC’s bank accounts, have led to concerns about the institution’s operational efficiency and economic viability.
As ICANN prepares to evaluate the new applications, there are calls for greater clarity regarding how such applications are assessed, especially when significant commercial interests are at play. The outcomes of these ICANN applications and the future of AFRINIC remain of critical importance to the integrity and growth of Internet resources in Africa.
