Today's top stories from Computerworld West Africa...

Report: Fiber-optic cables will boost West African telecom
Telecommunications in West Africa will get a major boost from the arrival of new submarine fiber-optic cables in 2008 and 2009, according to a new report by the U.K.'s Report Buyer.

Google grants $14M to forestall pandemic
As part of its Predict and Prevent initiative, Google's philanthropic arm, Google.org, last week announced grants of more than US$14 million to support partners working in Africa and Southeast Asia to prevent the next pandemic.

Energy ministry to reach public via Internet
The Sierra Leone Ministry of Energy and Power launched its Web site and the first volume of its newsletter on Thursday at the Ministry of Information and Communication in Freetown.

ZTE to build Mauritania WiMax network
ZTE has reached an exclusive contract to build Mauritania's first mobile WiMax commercial network.

Telenity and CIS Group to serve Africa jointly
Telenity and CIS Group have signed a partnership agreement to tap into the Middle Eastern and African market mobile markets by operating jointly.

BLOG: MATTERS E-RISING
If only Nigeria was managed like the GSM companies
August was Nigeria’s seventh anniversary of when the GSM mobile phone became a part of our national life. October is when we remember the 48th year that political independence came from the British. But, somehow, it appears the GSM mobile phone has made more progress socially and economically in seven years than the 48 years of its host country, Nigeria.