Our monthly series of quotes on African technology and progress continues with a variety of insights from entrepreneurs, political leaders, business executives, and everyday citizens. Most speakers are African and all are actively involved in creating a digital Africa.

I think more Africans die from misinformation than lack of medicines.” – Dr. Khama Rogo, moderator of a closing a panel on Health Information Systems at the eHealth Africa Conference

They don’t understand why they should spend time in front of computers. The government has made great progress by bringing free primary education for all, but there are also other things we need to achieve Vision 2020.” – Fidèle Gakuba, a student who lives in Nyaruguru district, Rwanda, on training local residents in a telecentre

It is imperative that we need to work jointly in changing the mindset of our people, that in the modern world, knowledge is gained faster through technologies and everyone needs to be on board.” – Tanzania Global Learning Agency (TaGLA) interim Executive Director Charles Senkondo, on how Tanzania will benefit from the continental conference and its relevance to Africa’s future

The connection to the WACS will give us the enormous advantage of not being dependent on foreign operators and the inherent risks.” – Sam Bikassam, CEO of Togo Telecom

Honestly, we cannot think that this uprising happened because of Twitter.” – Santino Saguto, a consulting partner at Deloitte, the company that prepared on the role of social media in the Arab Spring last year

As Africans we understand the social business dynamics in Africa and its challenges. But if we can be connected there is nothing we wouldn’t achieve.” – Kondwani Chimatiro, co-founder of the Malawian ‘Sahebo’ social network

You see them pinging on the streets, in commercial buses, on the roads and most surprisingly inside the church.” – Isaac Nvene, a Lagos-based lawyer, on where children are accessing Facebook in Nigeria

It [the political change] did not adversely affect our industry. People are relying more and more on telecoms to mobilize and to access social media, which has become integral to people’s lives.” – Vodafone Egypt CEO Hatem Dowidar

The strategy for getting people to use the infrastructure mainly consists in availing relevant content, applications and services through ICT, in both the public and the private sector.” – Jean Philbert Nsengimana, the Minister of Youth and ICT, Rwanda

What people need is resilience and reliability, diversity of the backbone and reach.” – Mark Simpson, CEO Seacom

You must now offer Skype services if you want your business to flourish.” – John Muashia, a cybercafé operator in Nairobi

Even if all the old people, who are expected custodians of the language die, the language will not disappear because it is protected using the Internet.” – Boat Captain John Mwaboza, on keeping Kiswahili active

I strongly believe that broadband should be regarded as part of a country’s critical infrastructure with right policy. That is the only way Nigeria and the rest of African continent can bridge digital divide. This is the time now.” – Engr. Lanre Ajayi, the President of Association of Licensed Telecommunication Operators of Nigeria, (ALTON)

I have not attempted climbing trees but I have seen it done.” – Andrea Coleman, Riders for Health, on the restrictions of signal reception for mHealth and the need for “transport for health care”

If you’re developing solutions for Africa, you should enable Africans to solve their own problems.” – tech guru Jonathan Gosier

It’s as though we are no longer penned in.” – Wessel van der Vyver, managing director for international services at Telecom Namibia, on the WACS cable

This is the first time that candidates are trying hard to promote themselves and the concept is a good one but only about 10% of people can access the internet.” – Cairo-based advertising expert Maie el Hadidy

We believe that the time is right for our community to take full control of its ICT future.” – Adiel A. Akplogan, the chief executive officer of AFRINIC

People believe what’s written on Facebook, they believe what’s written on Twitter.” – Alaa El-Huni, a member of 1Libya, a non-profit organisation that focuses on supporting civil society and independent media in Libya, on how social media is currently the most credible media source in Libya

Mr. Speaker, Sir, this Government has prioritised ICT as a catalyst for advancement.” – Malawi President Joyce Banda

There will be no latency.” – Miguel Geraldes, Managing Director of MTC, on the company’s offering of 4G services to Windhoek

Everybody seems to be computer literate just for browsing.” – Past International Federation of Women Lawyer (FIDA) Chairperson for Rivers, Nigeria, Mrs. Florence Fiberesima

I see Ushahidi as a movement of hundreds of small social movements – deployments with their own agenda connected in a large network.” – An informant in Cairo to Maria Grabowski Kjaer, MSc student in Social Anthropology at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark

…broadband penetration is key to the development of any city.” – Vice President, head of Operations Sub-Saharan Africa and Country Manager of Ericsson, Ghana, Allan Triggs

Note: All quotations include a link to the source that originally cited the speaker.