The African Telecommunications Union (ATU), a specialised agency of the African Union in the field of telecommunications, has secured a grant from the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) to accelerate Africa’s transition from Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) to version 6 (IPv6).
The upgrade is intended to meet the growing demand for internet connectivity and accommodate the rising number of connected devices across the continent. ICANN helps to coordinate and support the names or numbers used on computers or other devices as unique identifiers.
Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) is the latest generation internet layer protocol for packet-switched internetworks and the internet. Under its predecessor, IPv4, most of the IP addresses generated were in the form of 32-bit numbers. These are running out. IPv6 offers an IP addressing capability so vast (some 128 bits) that it should permanently solve that problem.
As the Ecofin news agency explains, the stock of IPv4 addresses, is limited to 4.3 billion. IPv6 can generate an estimated 340 trillion trillion unique addresses, offering a long-term solution to support digital expansion.
Why is this relevant to Africa? In sub-Saharan Africa, mobile internet subscribers reached 320 million in 2023 and are projected to grow to 528 million by 2030, according to the GSMA. That would still leave close to 900 million people unconnected. The number of licensed connected devices is also forecast to rise from 27 million in 2023 to 51 million by 2030. Ensuring there are enough addresses for everyone means adopting IPv6 is essential.
Thus the ATU has developed a strategic framework to assist member countries in implementing IPv6. The framework also aims to raise awareness of the protocol’s role in strengthening digital infrastructure.
But there’s still a lot of work to do. Ecofin cites the Asia-Pacific Network Information Centre (APNIC) which this year reported an African IPv6 adoption rate of 4.46%, compared to about 40% globally.
