Bi-weekly African ICT news roundup, featuring stories from Rwanda, Sudan, South Africa, Kenya, Zambia, Seychelles, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Cameroon, and more.

Cameroon

• Orange Cameroun veut fidéliser sa clientèle professionnelle {Ecofin}

Kenya

• Orange says LION2 cable on track for April launch: {Telecompaper}

Libya

• Telecom services gradually restored in Libya: {Magharebia.com}

Mozambique

• MP grad works on tech project in Africa: A Peace Corps project is bringing a computer lab to Mozambique. {Ahwatukee Foothills News}

Nigeria

• Wikipedia founder: Public needs online references: Jimmy Wales’ first visit to Nigeria highlighted the growth of other languages besides English on Wikipedia, particularly the Yoruba language. {Newsday}
• Q&A: Nigerian Communications Commission’s Dr Bashir Gwandu: {IT News Africa}

Rwanda

• Regional ICT publication launches operations in Kigali: Chief Information Office (CIO) East Africa, an ICT publication, launched operations in Rwanda in a bid to spread its footprint across the region. {In2EastAfrica}
• Airtel Rwanda to launch service operations: And will be the 3rd mobile operator after MTN and Tigo. {Wireless Federation}

Seychelles

• Seychelles gets ready for high speed Internet thanks to a 1900 km cable: {Alcatel-Lucent}

South Africa

• Smartphones to supercharge self-service in SA: {Media Update}
• ‘Woza Online’, says Google: Since its launch in SA in January, 11,200 businesses have set up websites through the Google program. {EastCoastRadio}
• Telkom’s broadband future: all the details: {TechCentral}
• Cell C to offer iPhone soon: {MyBroadband}
• SA ICT policy highly developed: A controversial viewpoint, that South Africa’s ICT plan is one of the best in Africa. {ITWeb}

Sudan

• New magazine and hope for LGBT people in Sudan: A new online LGBT magazine in Sudan, north Africa, will offer an opportunity for the country’s gay people to start discussing their lives and hopes for the future. {PinkNews}

Zambia

• MTN Zambia invests in data network expansion: More than 300 data sites will be rolled out this year to enable more people to access mobile broadband services. {Telecompaper}

Zimbabwe

• Zimbabwe launches Internet Learning: President Mugabe launched the National eLearning Programme that is expected to transform Zimbabwe’s education sector through internet learning at both primary and secondary school level. {The Herald}
• Zim start-up challenges Africa’s mobile landscape: Zimbile, a Zimbabwean tech start-up, has developed a platform that enables businesses and individuals to create fast loading mobile websites in minutes with zero technical experience. {ICTAfrica via BiztechAfrica}
• Internet can promote ‘evil ideas’: Chamisa: IT Minister Nelson Chamisa lauded the virtues of the internet but cautioned Zimbabweans not to stray too far from their default setting of societal traditions. {New Zimbabwe}

General Africa

• Africa’s Mobile operators turns to local content to boost internet usage: Firms are adopting various strategies to stimulate the production of more local content for their users. {This Is Africa Online}
• Africa is the Next Big Hot Spot for Internet Growth, According to Google: {U.S. AFRICOM Public Affairs}
• ICTs Inspire Innovation in eLearning Africa Photo Competition: {eLearning Africa}
• “Use Africa’s prisoners to dig fiber trenches” – Bill Hearmon: Africa is steadily growing in terms of internet connectivity and broadband capacity, but a lot of planning still needs to be done around broadband architecture and infrastructure. {IT News Africa}
• Smartphones attract attention at Innovation Africa Digital Summit: On the $100 price point, taxes, and video apps. {IT News Africa}
• African ICT job opportunities high, skills lacking {IT News Africa}
• Africa: Volunteers Use Web to Collaborate With African Farmers: {National Peace Corps Association via allAfrica}