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Online Africa has gathered links to a large number of articles written on the subject of the African Internet. The articles on this page are grouped into 7 categories (growth, status reports, ICT policy, mobile, general, books, country specific) and are sorted in reverse chronological order. Some are current and some are historical, but each article provides a better idea of Africa’s path toward the Internet age and onward. The site news archives are a useful resource as well.

Growth (How Africa is enhancing its networks)

  1. “Rise of African Content,” Nov 16, 2009. {http://ict4entrepreneurship.com/2009/11/16/rise-of-african-content/}
  2. “Infostate of Africa,” Nov 13, 2009. {http://appfrica.net/blog/2009/11/13/infostate-of-africa/#utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=infostate-of-africa}
  3. “New E. Coast of Africa Fibre”, Sept 23, 2009. {http://confluence.slac.stanford.edu/display/IEPM/New+E.+Coast+of+Africa+Fibre}
  4. “Speeding up East African Internet”, Apr 20, 2009. {http://subsaharska.maneno.org/eng/articles/speeding_up_east1240118477}
  5. “2009: Is Africa’s Internet Revolution Coming?”, Jim Cust, Feb 19, 2009. {http://bottombillion.com/2009/02/2009-is-africas-internet-revolution-coming/}
  6. “Africa: Internet Growth Accelerating “, AfricaFocus Bulletin, Feb 4, 2009. {http://www.africafocus.org/docs09/int0902.php}
  7. “Africa’s Climb to an Internet Revolution”, G.A. Admin, Feb 7, 2009. {http://globaladvances.com/blog/2009/02/07/africas-climb-to-an-internet-revolution/}
  8. “Internet in Africa: A well-organised racket”, Frédéric Dubois, Sept 16, 2008. {http://www.apc.org/en/news/openaccess/africa/internet-africa-well-organised-racket}
  9. “Africa: Internet Advances”, AfricaFocus Bulletin, Apr 22, 2005. {http://www.africafocus.org/docs05/itc0504.php}
  10. “African Internet Connectivity Evolution”, Mar 11, 2004. {http://www.telegeography.com/cu/article.php?article_id=3148}
  11. “Africa: Internet Creativity”, AfricaFocus Bulletin, Feb 17, 2004. {http://www.africafocus.org/docs04/ict0402.php}

Status Reports (Historical and current)

  1. “Africa ICT Trends and Countries to Watch in 2010,” Feb 5, 2010. {http://www.africabusinesssource.com/experts/africa-ict-trends-and-countries-to-watch-in-2010/}
  2. “The Future Is Here – Unevenly Distributed”, Sept 9, 2009. {http://blogs.uct.ac.za/blog/laura-cet/2009/09/09/the-future-is-here-unevenly-distributed}
  3. “2009: The Year of African Broadband”, Solomon Sydelle, Apr 13, 2009. {http://www.nigeriancuriosity.com/2009/04/2009-year-of-african-broadband.html}
  4. “Global Information Society Watch 2008″, Abiodun Jagun, 2008. {http://www.giswatch.org/gisw2008/regional/Africa.html}
  5. “Africa: Bandwidth Reports”, AfricaFocus Bulletin, Dec 7, 2006. {http://www.africafocus.org/docs06/apc0612.php}
  6. “Cyberspace Across Sub-Saharan Africa”, Victor W. A. Mbarika, Mike Jensen, Peter N. Meso, 2002. {http://www.vmbarika.com/files/cyberspace_across_africa.pdf}
  7. “Internet Penetration and Infrastructure,” eBusinessForum, Sept 2001. {http://www.ebusinessforum.com/index.asp?layout=rich_story&channelid=6&categoryid=23&doc_id=1823}
  8. “African Internet Status”, Mike Jensen, Sept 2000. {http://www.africaaction.org/docs00/inet0010.htm}
  9. “The African Internet – A Connectivity Status Report”, Mike Jensen, 1999. {http://www.comnet-it.org/pubs/newsletter/issue4/afrcon.html}

Education

  1. “An ICT Curriculum for Africa” July 2010, Kim Thomas, {http://www.futurelab.org.uk/resources/publications-reports-articles/web-articles/Web-Article1772}
  2. “A New ICT Maturity Model for Education Institutions in Developing Countries” Apr 26, 2010, Julian M. Bass, {http://www.sed.manchester.ac.uk/idpm/research/publications/wp/di/documents/di_wp44.pdf}
  3. “ALL for the ‘e’: Initiatives in a limited access environment,” Mar 23, 2010, Brian Sikute and Victor Mensah, Commonwealth Youth Programme Regional Centre for Africa, {http://mak.ac.ug/documents/IFIP/AllfortheE.pdf}
  4. “Can eBooks replace printed books in Africa?” Dec 18, 2009, Michael Trucano, {http://blogs.worldbank.org/edutech/africa-ebook-experiment}
  5. “e-Skills Volume One 2008 Policy Paper 3,” 2009, Jan Philipp Schmidt & Christoph Stork. {http://www.researchictafrica.net/new/images/uploads/ria%20policy%20paper%20vol1paper3%20-%20eskills.pdf}
  6. “Africa: eLearning Africa”, AfricaFocus Bulletin, May 29, 2007. {http://www.africafocus.org/docs07/el0705.php}
  7. “Come Together: African Universities Collaborate to Improve Bandwidth”, Lisa Waldick, Dec 2005. {http://www.idrc.ca/en/ev-91755-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html}
  8. “Increasing Computer Literacy in Africa”, Khaitsa Wasiyo, ATF Vol.8, 1998. {http://web.mit.edu/africantech/www/articles/ComputerLiteracy.htm}

ICT (Information and Communication Technologies) Policy

  1. “ICTs for democracy: Information and Communication Technologies for the Enhancement of Democracy – with a Focus on Empowerment,” APC, Oct 5, 2009. {http://www.apc.org/en/system/files/SIDA_ICTs+for+Democracy.pdf}
  2. “ICT Policy and Technology Innovation in Africa”, Eric Osiakwan, Feb 18, 2009. {http://www.afrispa.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=61&Itemid=32}
  3. “Technology Infrastructure and Services in Africa”, African Economic Outlook, 2008. {http://www.africaneconomicoutlook.org/en/in-depth/innovation-and-ict-in-africa/technology-infrastructure-and-services-in-africa}
  4. “Africa: ICT Updates”, AfricaFocus Bulletin, Sep 9, 2007. {http://www.africafocus.org/docs07/ict0709.php}
  5. “Changing ICT Rankings of African Nations, Tim Kelly, 2005. {http://link.wits.ac.za/journal/j05-kelly-ict-rankings.pdf}
  6. “NICI Country Pages”, 2005. {http://www.uneca.org/AISI/NICI/nici_country_pages.htm}
  7. “Internet subscription in Africa: policy for a dual digital divide”, Telecommunications Policy 27 (2003) 61–74. {http://www.roycroftconsulting.org/africa.pdf}
  8. “Africa on the Internet:  Starting Points for Policy Information”, Africa Policy Information Center, June 6, 1997. {http://www.africaaction.org/bp/inetall.html}

Mobile (Phone and Web)

  1. “Connecting Africa,” Forbes, Jul 29, 2010. {http://www.forbes.com/2010/07/28/africa-mobile-broadband-business-oxford-analytica.html}
  2. “Mobile Phones and Economic Development in Africa,” Jenny C. Aker and Isaac M. Mbiti, Center for Global Development, June 2010. {http://www.cgdev.org/files/1424175_file_Aker_Mobile_wp211_FINAL.pdf}
  3. “Using mobile for rural literacy and market information in Niger,” MobileActive, Dec 2, 2009. {http://mobileactive.org/using-mobiles-rural-literacy-and-market-information-niger-projet-abc-imac}
  4. “Fascinating trends of mobile web and implications for web 2.0 for development,” Web2forDev, Nov 10, 2009. {http://web2fordev.net/component/content/article/1-latest-news/87-fascinating-trends-of-mobile-web-and-consequences-for-web2fordev-}
  5. “M-Commerce and its impact on Africa,” Africa Business Source, Oct 24, 2009. {http://www.africabusinesssource.com/articles/innovation/m-commerce-and-impact-on-africa/}
  6. “ICT4D: When mobile phones link with computers,” Global Voices Online, Oct 20, 2009. {http://globalvoicesonline.org/2009/10/20/ict4d-when-mobile-phones-link-with-computers}
  7. “Africa surviving on mobile high-speed internet connections,” BroadbandBlogged.co.uk, Oct, 2009. {http://www.broadbandblogged.co.uk/mobile-broadband/africa-surviving-on-mobile-high-speed-internet-connections.html}
  8. “Beyond Voice, The Economist, Sept 24, 2009. {http://www.economist.com/specialreports/displaystory.cfm?story_id=14483848}
  9. “The Fuss About Cellphones”, Sept 23, 2009. {http://blogs.uct.ac.za/blog/laura-cet/2009/09/28/the-fuss-about-cell-phones}
  10. “Why cellphone internet is bad for Africa”, AJ Venter, Aug 3, 2009. {http://silentcoder.co.za/2009/08/why-cellphone-internet-is-bad-for-africa}
  11. “Africa: Mobile Internet Taking Off”, AfricaFocus Bulletin, May 5, 2009. {http://www.africafocus.org/docs09/ict0905.php}
  12. “Mobile Broadband Internet in Africa”, Aug 7,2009. {http://whiteafrican.com/2008/08/07/mobile-broadband-internet-in-africa}
  13. “Can the ubiquitous power of mobile phones be used to improve health outcomes in developing countries?”, Warren A. Kaplan, Globalization and Health 2006, 2:9 {http://www.globalizationandhealth.com/content/2/1/9}

General

  1. “Growing Africa’s Internet use: Top down vs bottom up – Which way is up?” Balancing Act, Jul 30, 2010. {http://www.balancingact-africa.com/news/en/issue-no-515-0/top-story/growing-africa-s-internet-use-top-down-vs-bottom-up-which-way-is-u-0}
  2. “Is a non-Western path to Modernity via the Deployment of Information Communications Technology Possible in Africa?” Peter A. Kwaku Kyem, PhD, GISP, 2010.{http://mak.ac.ug/documents/IFIP/PKyemsPaper.pdf}
  3. “Connecting Region Via ICT Diffusion,” Daily Champion, Nov 17, 2009. {http://allafrica.com/stories/200911180620.html}
  4. “Briefly, Broadband”, Sept 17, 2009. {http://blogs.uct.ac.za/blog/laura-cet/2009/09/17/briefly-broadband}
  5. “Africa: Wireless Internet in the Countryside”, AfricaFocus Bulletin, Nov 7, 2008. {http://www.africafocus.org/docs08/apc0811.php}
  6. “Sub-saharan Africa Undersea Cables in 2010 – take 7″, Rodney, Sept 25, 2008. {http://manypossibilities.net/2008/09/sub-saharan-africa-undersea-cables-in-2010-2/}
  7. “Voice over IP in Africa”, William Stucke, Mar 29, 2008. {http://www.afrispa.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=14&Itemid=32}
  8. “Web Design by Donor Organizations for Low Bandwidth,” {http://www.columbia.edu/itc/sipa/nelson/newmediadev08/Web%20Design%20By%20Donor%20Organizations%20for%20Low%20Bandwidth.html}
  9. “Why affordable international bandwidth matters” {http://fibreforafrica.net/main.shtml?x=4051584&als[MYALIAS6]=Why%20affordable%20international%20bandwidth%20matters&als[select]=4051582}
  10. “In the developing world, broadband spans the digital divide”, Thomas Crampton, Dec 3, 2006. {http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/03/technology/03iht-btdivide.3755495.html?_r=2}
  11. “Structural Properties of the African Web”, Boldi, Codenotti, Santini, Vigna, 2002. {http://santini.dsi.unimi.it/FTP/papers/www11-africa.pdf}
  12. “User’s Guide To Electronic Networks in Africa”, University of Pennsylvania – African Studies Center. {http://www.africa.upenn.edu/E_Mail/USER.html}
  13. “Expanding International Email Connectivity–Another Look”, John C. Klensin and Randy Bush, 1993. {http://www.nsrc.org/articles/930600.connexions}

Books:

  1. Wasserman, Herman (ed.). Popular Media, Democracy and Development in Africa. London: Routledge, 2010. Routledge
  2. Williams, Mark. Broadband for Africa: Developing Backbone Communications Networks in the Region. Washington D.C: The World Bank, 2010. Google
  3. Fernández-Ardèvol, M., Ros, A. (eds.). Communication Technologies in Latin America and Africa: A multidisciplinary perspective. Barcelona, IN3, 2010. http://in3.uoc.edu/web/IN3/communication-technologies-in-latin-america-and-africa/
  4. Don Osborn. African Languages in a Digital Age: Challenges and opportunities for indigenous language computing. HSRC Press, 2010. HSRC Press
  5. Buskens, Ineke and Webb, Anne (eds.). African Women and ICTs. IDRC, 2009. IDRC
  6. Nancy J. Hafkin and Sophia Huyer, Cinderella or cyberella?: empowering women in the knowledge society. Kumarian Press, Inc., 2006. Google
  7. Parkinson, Sarah, Telecentres, access and development: experience and lessons from Uganda and South Africa. ITDG Publishing, 2005. Google
  8. Perspectives and policies on ICT in society, ed. Chrisanthi Avgerou and Jacques Berleur, IFIP TC9, 2005. Google
  9. Patrick J. Brunet, Oumarou Tiemtoré, and Marie-Claude Vettraino-Soulard. Ethics and the Internet in West Africa: toward an ethical model of integration, Africa World Press, Inc., 2004. Google

Country Specific:

  1. Algeria: “Internet Penetration and Infrastructure,” eBusinessForum, Sept 2001. {http://www.ebusinessforum.com/index.asp?layout=rich_story&channelid=6&categoryid=23&doc_id=1823}
  2. Angola: “Internet Development in Angola,” Almada & Cogle, 2006. {http://nsrc.org/AFRICA/AO/20060300-Internet-Development-in-Angola.pdf}
  3. Botswana: “Towards an Information Society in Botswana: ICT4D Country Report,” Balulwami Grand, Stephen M Mutula, Peter M. Sebina, Saul Zulu, 2010. {http://www.ngopulse.org/sites/ngopulse.org/files/botswana_thetha_final_4_March_2010-corrected.pdf}
  4. Cameroon: “Internet Development in Africa: The Case of Cameroon,” Lot Tcheeko, 1996. {http://www.isoc.org/inet97/proceedings/E4/E4_1.HTM}
  5. Cape Verde: “The Internet in a Lusophone LDC: Cape Verde Case Study,” Evora-Sagna, Gray, and Minges, Nov 2002. {http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ict/cs/capeverde/material/CPV_CS.pdf}
  6. Congo: “Challenges in Implementing a NICT Plan in the Congo,” Sylvester Ngoma, Congo Vision, 2009. {http://www.congovision.com/science/ICT-Challenges.pdf}
  7. Dem. Rep. of the Congo: “Democratic Republic of the Congo: Two sides of the same ICT coin – breaking the silence/breaking the laws,” Mavic Cabrera-Balleza, Jul 28, 2010. {http://www.genderit.org/articles/democratic-republic-congo-two-sides-same-ict-coin-breaking-silence-breaking-laws}
  8. Egypt: “Internet on the Nile: Egypt Case Study,” Kelly and Girardet, March 2001. {http://www.itu.int/osg/spu/wtpf/wtpf2001/casestudies/egypt1.pdf}
  9. Egypt: “Profiling Internet Users in Egypt: Understanding the Primary Deterrent Against Their Growth in Number,” Mohamed El-Nawawy, InTouch Communication Services, SAE {http://www.isoc.org/inet2000/cdproceedings/8d/8d_3.htm}
  10. Eritrea: “An Optimal Eritrean Internet,” Eritrea Technical Exchange, 1999. {http://www.punchdown.org/rvb/email/intntart0899.html}
  11. Eritrea: “Internet Penetration in Eritrea close to African average”, Jun 1, 2009. {http://www.capitaleritrea.com/business/internet-penetration-in-eritrea-close-to-african-average}
  12. Ethiopia: “Rethinking the global digital divide – Ethiopia, Africa, on my mind,” Oct, 2009. {http://nazret.com/blog/index.php?blog=15&title=rethinking_the_global_digital_divide_eth&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1}
  13. Ethiopia: “The CyberEthiopia Initiative,” Kitaw Yayeh-Yirad, Jul 2004. {http://www.cyberethiopia.com/infocom2004/paper/#_Toc76372170}
  14. Ethiopia: “Internet from the Horn of Africa: Ethiopia Case Study,” Mike Jensen and Claudia Sarrocco, Jul 2002. {http://www.itu.int/osg/spu/casestudies/ETH%20CS1.pdf}
  15. Ethiopia: “Internet in Ethiopia”, Samuel Kinde, Feb 2001. {http://www.ethiopians.com/Engineering/Internet_ET.htm}
  16. Gambia: “Internet Gateway for the Gambia,” ITU, Jun 2000. {http://www.itu.int/africainternet2000/Documents/doc53_e.htm}
  17. Ghana: “AudienceScapes Africa Development Research Series: Ghana,” Hannah Bowen, Mar 2010. {http://www.intermedia.org/brochures/AudienceScapes_Ghana%20Quant.pdf}
  18. Ghana: “Expansion of the Internet Backbone in Ghana,” Network Computer Systems Accra, 1997. {http://www.isoc.org/inet97/proceedings/E5/E5_2.HTM}
  19. Guinea: “Radio E-Mail in West Africa,” LinuxJournal, Nov 1, 2002. {http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/6062?page=0,0}
  20. Guinea: “Telecommunication Infrastructure in Guinea,” Dec 1999. {http://www1.american.edu/carmel/kd7118a/Telecom.htm}
  21. Kenya: “20 Kenyan web and tech innovations worth watching,” Mark Kaigwa, Aug 4, 2010. {http://memeburn.com/2010/08/20-kenyan-start-ups-worth-watching/#}
  22. Kenya: “Information Literacy in Kenya,” Nov 18, 2009. {http://www.ejisdc.org/ojs2/index.php/ejisdc/article/view/613/296}
  23. Lesotho: “Case Study on the Impact of the Changing International Telecommunications Environment,” Clifford Chance & Booz, Hamilton, Allen, Inc., 1998. {http://www.itu.int/osg/spu/wtpf/wtpf98/cases/Final/lesotho.pdf}
  24. Liberia: “After Cell Phone, E-Commerce is the Next Technological Boom in Liberia,” Darren Wilkins, Jul 30, 2010. {http://www.theliberianjournal.com/index.php?st=news&sbst=details&rid=1607&comesOfTheHome=1}
  25. Liberia: “Africa’s Golden Opportunitiy,” Jenny Stefanotti, Oct 1, 2009. {http://www.developingjen.com/blog/incentive-issues-in-african-telecommunications}
  26. Mauritius: “The Fifth Pillar: The Republic of Mauritius ICT Case Study,” Minges, Gray and Tayob, Feb 2004. {http://www.itu.int/ITU-D/ict/cs/mauritius/material/CS_MUS.pdf}
  27. Mauritania: “Case Study of the Changing International Telecommunications Environment”, ITU, Feb 1998. {http://www.itu.int/osg/spu/wtpf/wtpf98/cases/Mauritania/maur_e2.pdf}
  28. Morocco: “Internet and e-commerce industry in Morocco”, Ecommerce Journal, June 2010. {http://www.ecommerce-journal.com/news/28322_internet-and-e-commerce-industry-morocco}
  29. Mozambique: “Putting Cumbama on the Map”, lindaraftree.blogspot.com, Nov 2009.{lindaraftree.blogspot.com}
  30. Mozambique: “Lessons Learned fom Mozambique’s ICT Policy Progress”, Rowan, Marielle, Sept 2003. {http://www.crdi.ca/uploads/user-S/10684959791Lessons_Learned_from_Mozambique%27s_ICT_Policy_Process.doc}
  31. Mozambique: “Sustainable Development Networking Programme (SDNP) in Mozambique,” Massingue, Muchanga, Labelle, Jul 1995. {http://www.sdnp.undp.org/countries/af/mz/mzpdoc.html}
  32. Namibia: “Electronic Networking in Namibia,” Eberhard W. Lisse, Feb 1997. {http://www.isoc.org/inet97/ans97/lisse.htm}
  33. Niger: “Does Digital Divide or Provide? The Impact of Cell Phones on Grain Markets in Niger,” Jenny C. Aker, Feb 2008. {http://ipl.econ.duke.edu/bread/papers/working/177.pdf}
  34. Nigeria: “The Internet is Africa’s ‘Gutenberg Moment’,” Tolu Ogunlesi, Dec 2009. {http://publishingperspectives.com/?p=9507}
  35. Nigeria: “Internet Connectivity for the Nigerian Universities Network,” Kensar Telecommunications Limited, Jul 2000. {http://nsrc.org/AFRICA/NG/Kensar-NUNet-Report.pdf}
  36. Sierra Leone: “Upgrading Sierra Leone’s ICT,” Bai-Bai Sesay, AudienceScape, July 2010. {http://audiencescapes.org/upgrading-sierra-leone-ict-competition-and-fiber-optics-internet-liberalization-regulation-monopoly}
  37. Sierra Leone: “Sierranet: Linking Sierra Leone to the World,” Jennifer Pepall, Jan 1997. {http://idrinfo.idrc.ca/archive/reportsintra/pdfs/1997e/112223.htm}
  38. South Africa: “Internet Usage in Sub-Saharan Africa,” Debra Goldschmidt, Aug 28, 2009. {http://www.gottaquirk.com/2009/08/28/friday-fact-box-internet-usage-in-sub-saharan-africa}
  39. South Africa: “Internet turnaround has begun in SA,” Arthur Goldstuck, Dec 4, 2008. {http://thebigchange.com/internet}
  40. Tunisia: “Internet in Tunisia,” Tunisia Online, 1998. {http://www.tunisiaonline.com/internet/access.html}
  41. Tunisia: ‘How to Adapt Electronic Commerce to the Needs of a Developing Country,” Zitoun and Sghaier, 2000. {http://www.isoc.org/isoc/conferences/inet/00/cdproceedings/7c/7c_4.htm}
  42. Uganda: “Telecentres in Uganda do not appeal to rural women,” GEM, Jan 19, 2010. {http://www.genderevaluation.net/mygem/news/telecentres_uganda_do_not_appeal_rural_women?1407269383=1}
  43. Uganda: “The Internet in an African LDC: Uganda Case Study,” Minges, Brown, and Kelly, Feb 2001. {http://www.itu.int/osg/spu/wtpf/wtpf2001/casestudies/uganda.pdf}
  44. Zambia: “Report on the Zambia Telecentre Network Workshop,” SatNetwork, 2010. {http://www.infobridge.org/asp/documents/4759.pdf}