Over the past two weeks, we’ve found tech/Internet updates from an astounding 35 nations. Below is a recap of 104 headlines highlighting the spirit of African technology. Reflecting the diversity of each nation, there’s really no key theme other than a drive for broadband and citizen empowerment.

Algeria

• 14 % de pénétration d’Internet  {Algeria1}

Angola

• Angola-Brazil cable project launched  {Biztech Africa}

Botswana

• High hopes for new web-based exam processing  {Biztech Africa}

Cameroon

• Higher Education – The Contribution of ICTs {AllAfrica.com}

Chad

• La fibre optique, la grosse arnaque? {Tchad Infos}
• Orabank et Tigo lance Tigo Cash {Ecofin}

Comoros

• Comores Telecom est entrée dans sa phase de privatisation {Ecofin}

Cote D’Ivoire

• Ivorian Bloggers Under Arrest for Allegedly Interfering with Disaster Recovery While Trying to Help {Global Voices}

DRC

• The Day Women of the Congo Seized Control of the Internet {Huffington Post}
• Cellcos endure flak attack over network quality, ‘chaotic’ SIM distribution {TeleGeography}

Egypt

• Ericsson, Etisalat Egypt Partner To Boost 4G Network {Ventures Africa}
• Egypt’s revolution fuels digital boom {Financial Times}
• Egypt to review open source policies  {Biztech Africa}
• Egypt signs deal on e-justice  {Biztech Africa}
• Egypt examining new telecoms tax options {TeleGeography}

Eritrea

• EriTel Begins Sale of Shares {capitaleritrea news}
• Eritrea – Telecoms, Mobile and Internet {BuddeComm}

Ethiopia

• Somalia has better Internet and mobile services than Ethiopia {ECADF}
• Ethio Telecom Targets Rooftop Acquisitions {AllAfrica.com}
• Ethiopian govt increasingly online  {Biztech Africa}

Ghana

• Free Facebook browsing for Vodafone customers {BusinessGhana}
• Ghana to introduce internet-powered payment system for traders {Ghana Business News}
• Vodafone Ghana defends new fixed broadband bundles {Ghana Business News}
• President Mahama goes hi-tech again  {Biztech Africa}

Guinea

• Huawei bags Guinean backbone contract, Sotelgui rescue plans ongoing {TeleGeography}

Kenya

• Three lessons from Kenya’s tech success {Quartz}
• Public agencies off Internet as undersea cable is repaired {Business Daily}
• Silicon Savannah’ empowers Kenyans {BDlive}
• Technology Helps Kenyans Reveal Fraud in Political Party Memberships {Global Voices Online}
• Hate mongers now sending Internet SMSs {The Standard}
• Increased internet penetration in Kenya creates jobs, improves … {Sabahi Online}
• Telkom Kenya meets consumer watchdog over unlimited Internet fiasco {The Standard Digital News}
• Kenya Airways invests in security for online portal {The Standard Digital News}
• Social Media Haters Put On Notice {AllAfrica.com}
• CCK threatens unregistered SIM cardholders with hefty fines  {HumanIPO}
• Intel to launch low-cost smartphone in Kenya  {HumanIPO}

Liberia

• Cellcom Deploys Fiber Optic 4G Internet – Liberian Times {The Liberian Times (TheLiberianTimes.com)}

Libya

• Libyan undersea fiber-optic cable system Silphium launches {LightWave Online}
• Libya: Company Takes Measures to Stop Communication Facilities’ Vandalism {Tripoli Post}
• Fire causes major telecoms disruption in and outside Libya {Libya Herald}
• Confirming outages {Renesys}

Madagascar

• Fournisseurs d’accès Internet à Madagascar : le Palmarès 2013  {TANANEWS}

Malawi

• AfDB, Malawi in new education partnership  {Biztech Africa}

Mauritania

• Mauritanians Find a Voice Online in 2012 · Global Voices {Global Voices}

Mauritius

• Emtel launches home/office internet over 3G/HSPA+ {TeleGeography}

Morocco

• Accès à Internet: Le Maroc au premier rang en Afrique, 36è mondial sur Facebook {Aufait Maroc}

Mozambique

• Le Mozambique lance un projet de santé basé sur le téléphone mobile {Ecofin}

Niger

• Conflits autour de l’installation de la fibre optique {Ecofin}

Nigeria

• Nigeria Needs National Database To Fight Cybercrime – Expert {Leadership Newspapers}
• Nigerians Try To Stop Nigerian Internet Scammers {International Business Times}
• Nigeria’s Fibre Optic Cables Still Under-utilised’ {THISDAY Live}
• Harnessing potentials in broadband for economic development {BusinessDay}
• High, Low Points of ICT Sector in 2012 {AllAfrica.com}
• FG to Distribute 10 MIllion Phones to Farmers {AllAfrica.com}
• Infrastructure, Content Would Fast Track Broadband Penetration in 2013 {AllAfrica.com}
• Preincubation @CcHUB – 2012 highlights {CcHub}
• Nigeria launches tech innovation programme  {Biztech Africa}
• Survey shows less than five percent of Nigerians have access to PC  {HumanIPO}
• Nigerian Computer Society advise government on youth-focused local software development  {HumanIPO}

North Africa

• Facebook Use by Companies in the Middle East and North Africa Infographic] {Wamda}
• Four Maghrebans among Emerging ‘Tech Women’ Leaders in MENA Region {The North Africa Post}

Rwanda

• Bridging the Digital Divide in Rural Communities {AllAfrica.com}
• Social Media – What Can Be Learned From Village Urugwiro {AllAfrica.com}
• Rwanda SIM reg to start 4 Feb  {Biztech Africa}
• Slow Internet a challenge to electronic single window system {The New Times Rwanda}

Sao Tome & Principe

• ‘Cousins’ from São Tomé and Príncipe Unite the Diaspora Through … {Eleanor Staniforth, Global Voices}

Senegal

• Sénégal Expresso : « Nous attendons avec impatience la 4G» {Ecofin}
• Infrastructure télécom au Sénégal: Expresso brise ses liens avec Sonatel {Seneweb}
• Sonatel to trial HSPA {TeleGeography}

Somalia

• Somalia Gets 3G Mobile Service {AllAfrica.com}

South Africa

• Inside SA’s ‘white spaces’ broadband trial {TechCentral}
• Bridging the digital divide {African Business Review}
• Broadband still too expensive {ITWeb}
• Techno-savvy SA joins online shopping boom {BDlive}
• Most popular Twitter users in South Africa {MyBroadband}
• South Africa’s broadband targets and spectacular misses {MyBroadband}
• Broadband challenges in South Africa {MyBroadband}
• How Africans are using the internet {Moneyweb.co.za}
• SA Internet speeds may decrease with LTE rollout  {HumanIPO}
• 2012 startups in review: funding, competition winners and acquisitions {The Silicon Cape}

St. Helena

• St Helena calls for USD16m for fibre connection {TeleGeography}

Tanzania

• Comparing mobile internet costs in Tanzania {TZCRC}

Tunisia

• ATI, Meninx Technologies Data Centre announce partnership {African Manager}
• State of Freedom of Speech in Tunisia in 2012 {Afef Abrougui, Global Voices}
• Partnership between Tunisian Internet Agency and Meninx Technologies {ATI}

Uganda

• MTN plans to deploy LTE in Uganda {Independent Online}
• Business ideas from Uganda’s Google searchesPublish Date: Jan 05, 2013 {New Vision}
• Can a Ugandan village keep its computers running?  {Guardian}
• Uganda’s telecom sector to top US$1.1bn by 2017  {HumanIPO}
• Uganda’s Top Social Change Causes on Social Media  {Ruthaine.com}

Zambia

• How many internet services providers does Zambia have? – Zed … {}
• Minister Threatens Editors of Online Watchdog with … {Gershom Ndhlovu, GlobalVoices Advocacy}

Zimbabwe

• Fibre Optic: 2012 Newsmaker {AllAfrica.com}
• Why Zimbabwean websites are increasingly getting hacked (list of hacked sites) {Technology Zimbabwe}
• Social Media to Play Crucial Role in Next Polls – Analysts {AllAfrica.com}
• No progress on Zimbabwe’s telecom companies privatisation  {HumanIPO}

General Africa

• Cyber Africa Forum to Explore Global Digital Opportunities {THISDAY Live}
• Will Africa Leapfrog to 4G? {ABI Research}
• Mr. Mitnick, I presume? Africa’s coming cyber crime epidemic {ITworld.com}
• Tech trends in 2013: experts weigh in {BusinessTech}
• Women in technology—Africa {Tech Women Blog}
• A New African University And Why Our Model Will Redesign The Continent {Tekedia}
• Major African Startup Events to Watch for in 2013  {HumanIPO}
• US Silicon Valley mentorship opens for African women  {HumanIPO}