Over the past two weeks, we’ve found 124 stories of how ICT is changing 25+ African nations. In the spotlight was online politics: election coverage in Mali and Zimbabwe figured prominently as did online censorship in Zambia. In addition, many tech stories came out of East African nations.

Algeria

• Les actions pour améliorer l’Internet donneront de bons résultats avant fin 2013 {Algérie Presse Service}
• Les problèmes d’accès à Internet en Algérie {Huff Post Maghreb}
• « Fin novembre » est la nouvelle date annoncée pour le lancement de la 3G dans le pays {Ecofin}

Angola

• Unitel launches 4Afrika Windows phone {TeleGeography}

Cameroon

• Orange Cameroun eyes underwater fibre-optic {Business in Cameroon}

Cote D’Ivoire

• Do religion and ICTs mix ? {BiztechAfrica}
• Ivory Coast fibre optic network to boost growth – minister {Reuters}

DR Congo

• Les explications contrastées du gouvernement sur l’installation de la fibre optique {Ecofin}
• Vodacom signe le premier contrat d’interconnexion sur la fibre optique {Ecofin}
• DRC seeks to be continental connecting hub for fibre {HumanIPO}

Eritrea

• 20 Years of Freedom? Not for Eritrea’s Youth {AllAfrica.com}

Ethiopia

• Ethiopia signs $700 mn mobile network deal with China’s Huawei {The Economic Times}
• Twitter and Facebook access restored after 12-hour blackout {Opride.com}

Ghana

• Government To Develop Cyber Security Policy {Ghana Government}
• Police detects new Internet payment fraud in Ghana {GBN}

Kenya

• Musings on the on the ‘Silicon Savannah’: Past, Present & Future {Afrinnovator}
• 2013 Kenya Tech Community Survey Results {WhiteAfrican}
• Mobile Money in Kenya {BBC}
• Telkom hits back at CCK over plans to end fibre contract {Business Daily}
• Cybercafés in Nairobi dwindle as Internet-enabled phones rise {Coastweek}
• Konza phase one to begin in Q4 of 2013 {HumanIPO}
• Nairobi Lab rolls out virtual incubation for rural Kenya {HumanIPO}
• SAP Skills for Africa programme launched In Kenya {HumanIPO}
• iHub to host discussions of the draft AU cyber security convention {HumanIPO}
• Announcing the Kenya Internet Governance Forum 2013 {Kictanet}

Malawi

• Macra Rolls Out Project to Reach Rural Masses With ICT {AllAfrica.com}
• Internet VAT bites consumers {BiztechAfrica}
• TNM expects 35% rise in H1 net profit {TeleGeography}

Mali

• TIC et élections, une nouveauté pour la réussite du processus électoral au Mali {Fasokan}
• Follow the Presidential Election in Mali in Real Time {Global Voices}

Mozambique

• Every Mozambican Can Be an Independent Electoral Observer {Global Voices}

Namibia

• Telecom Hosts Network Conference {AllAfrica.com}
• Telecom Namibia hosts Africa SNO conference {The Villager}

Nigeria

• MTN to Derive 20 Percent of Revenue From Data Services {AllAfrica.com}
• Minister Tasks Broadband Committee On 20 Percent Access {AllAfrica.com}
• iDEA Hub Set To Launch Tinapa Center With 42-Hour Hackathon {OTEKBITS}
• Don’t pamper telcos, Lagos tells NCC {BiztechAfrica}
• ICT saves Nigerian FG N119bn in two years {BiztechAfrica}
• Nigerian naira holding back e-commerce – Ercin Ecsin {HumanIPO}
• ‘Internet can never replace traditional teaching methods’ {Nigerian Tribune}
• UN agency appoints first lady of Nigeria to champion child online protection {UN}
• Apple Buys Nigerian Entrepreneur’s Online Mapping Startup {Ventures Africa}
• E-commerce Is Huge In Nigeria – CEO Konga.com {Ventures Africa}
• Digital marketing awareness still low in Nigeria, says WSI {The Guardian Nigeria}
• Ondo State’s Innovation Hub Launches Project To Map-Up Akure {TechLoy}

Rwanda

• Gap Still Deep Between ICT and Agriculture {AllAfrica.com}
• Govt Optimistic On Broadband Penetration {AllAfrica.com}
• Children’s laptop project extends to 400 schools {The New Times}
• 87% of SIMs registered in Rwanda as deadline looms {TeleGeography}

Somalia

• Somalia 3G services {YouTube}

South Africa

• Teaching With Tablets Piloted in E Cape {AllAfrica.com}
• JCSE Concludes First Google and MIT Entrepreneurship Programme {AllAfrica.com}
• Faking it: SA politicians on Twitter {BusinessTech}
• Fibre-to-the-home in SA: curb your enthusiasm {MyBroadband.co.za}
• Internet population in SA almost 14 million {MyBroadband.co.za}
• South Africa’s Internet, mapped {MyBroadband.co.za}
• Mobile operators likely to explore all possibilities {BDLive}
• SA ‘cheapest’ for mobile data in Africa {BDLive}
• The crux of SA’s mobile disconnect | Business Times | BDlive {BDLive}
• SA users neglect fixed broadband in favour of mobile {Engineering News}
• SA YouTube superstars cash in {IOL.co.za}
• ANC targets Mxit for elections {News24}
• Rugby laws in Afrikaans, Xhosa {Sport24}
• The state of SA’s Internet revealed {TechCentral}
• ISPA urges Parliament to mandate wholesale mobile data {Telecompaper}
• Microsoft turns to solar-power and white space for South Africa’s cheapest broadband {ZDNet}

South Sudan

• Postcard from Bor, South Sudan {DW}
• South Sudan ready to launch top level domain {HumanIPO}

Sudan

• Sudan army spokesman ready to fight Facebook impostor {Alarabiya.net}
• Zain H1 profit hit by flailing Sudanese currency {Mobile World Live}

Swaziland

• Recycled computers for schools in Swaziland {E&T Magazine}

Tanzania

• Tanzania Urges Rift Valley Countries to Embrace Private Sector in ICT Development {AllAfrica.com}
• Did You Try to Visit Innovation Space? {AllAfrica.com}
• Dar to switch to latest internet version {DailyNews.co.tz}
• Tanzania cheapest for mobile broadband in Africa {HumanIPO}
• Lack of laws hinder cyber crime probes {IPP Media}

Tunisia

• Microsoft se dit prêt à soutenir la Tunisie dans ses programmes TIC {Ecofin}

Uganda

• Google Eases Navigation {AllAfrica.com}
• Uganda in third phase of broadband backbone {HumanIPO}
• Uganda signs pact for internet regulation {Uganda Talks}
• Is tech good or bad for work, life balance? {The Observer}
• Orange brings faster internet {The Observer}
• Connecting villages in northern Uganda: Internet Now! {Oxfam International}
• ‘More lobbying needed to bring down Internet costs’ {New Vision}

West Africa

• Press Statement: MFWA Commences Internet Freedom Project {Media Foundation for West Africa}
• IHS secures USD522m for tower expansion {TeleGeography}
• Maroc Telecom 1H13 net income up 12.6% to MAD3.52bn {TeleGeography}

Zambia

• mHealth in Zambia {BongoHive}
• Range Networks déploie dans le sud un réseau cellulaire à faible coût pour les zones reculées {Ecofin}
• ConnectAfrica opens in Lusaka {BiztechAfrica}
• Zambian government blocks another critical news website {HumanIPO}
• Zambian Govt Blocks Reporters Without Borders {Zambia Reports}
• Sata Targets Blocking Facebook, Twitter {Zambia Reports}

Zimbabwe

• Women in ICT Meet Tomorrow {AllAfrica.com}
• Social Media – an Elections Game Changer {AllAfrica.com}
• Cat-and-mouse in Zim poll cyberwar {IOL.co.za}
• Facebook blogger goads Zimbabwe’s ruling party {Reuters}
• M-commerce boom in Zimbabwe {TechCentral}
• At least 1.1 million active Facebook users in Zimbabwe {Techzim}
• Broadband in Zimbabwe: The Liquid Telecom fibre network map (July 2013) {Techzim}
• How to get a tablet for under $150 {Techzim}
• The impact of ICT on African politics {Techzim}
• Web and mobile technology tools for the 2013 Zimbabwe elections {Techzim}
• Zimbabwe declines to renew Telecel licence {TeleGeography}

General Africa

• African countries and their IP offices in 2012/2013: Recap {Afro-IP}
• “No Country Can Make Progress On the Basis of a Borrowed Language” {AllAfrica.com}
• Learning on the Go: The Future of African Education? {Think Africa Press}
• 8 startups taking the African gaming scene to the next level {ventureburn}
• OnePixel says we need more ‘apps for Africa’ {ventureburn}
• 4G LTE rollout in Africa could be a challenge {ABN Digital}
• Social Media Driving Business in Africa {ABN Digital}
• Smile rolls out LTE networks in Africa {BDLive}
• Africa set to contribute to rapid 2014 LTE growth {HumanIPO}
• Ghana and Egypt the highlights in Vodafone results {HumanIPO}
• Kenya and Nigeria account for over half of Sub-Saharan Africa’s internet users {HumanIPO}
• Opinion: Advent of social media and internet the bane of the African dictator’s life {HumanIPO}
• Opinion: Why smartphones, tablets threaten the African culture {HumanIPO}
• Will Silicon Valley Save the World? No–But Here’s What Will {Inc.com}
• SEACOM to embark on community upliftment {IT News Africa}
• Six African nations have commercial LTE networks – report {ITWeb}
• Dutch registrar to revive three African TLDs {Itworld}
• Vodacom Group publishes trading statement for Q2 2013 {TeleGeography}
• Bharti grants greater freedom to African chiefs {TeleGeography}
• Bandwidth: The real challenge holding back Africa’s tech hubs {ZDNet}