SME resilience in focus: South African small businesses are growing but prioritising steady, sustainable expansion, with Xero’s survey showing 80% revenue growth and 75% higher profits—yet many are staying cautious. Compliance pressure: An IMF-linked warning says regulatory complexity and admin inefficiencies are squeezing SME growth and job creation, with rising compliance costs hitting margins. Hiring reality check: A business-operations piece argues that “saving” by leaving roles unfilled creates hidden costs as work gets redistributed and service quality slips. Kenya solar affordability: Bluetti is pushing pay-as-you-go financing in Kenya, shifting solar from upfront purchases to instalments for households and small businesses. Digital infrastructure for SMBs: Cassava Technologies’ Africa Data Centres secured Microsoft Azure ExpressRoute Metro peering in Johannesburg, enabling more resilient, secure cloud connectivity. Payments milestone: M-Pesa Africa reported its first operating profit, reaching 60m customers and expanding into merchant payments, lending, savings and insurance. Ghana used-car market shift: A look at how China’s used-car supply changes and Ghana’s rules are reshaping affordability, risk and trust for small buyers and transport operators. South Africa SME awards: Entries are open for the 18th South African Small Business Awards, positioning winners for credibility and new opportunities. Ivory Coast “national champions”: The country is backing champion firms to drive development and help SMEs scale across borders.