Anti-immigration pressure on local trade: In Soweto, street vendors joined marches against undocumented migrants, with hawkers saying permits are limited while unregistered traders crowd the same spaces—raising fears for small-business survival and local livelihoods. Township tourism hit by June 30 unrest: South African township tour operators report sharp booking cancellations and revenue drops as visitor confidence falls ahead of planned protests, threatening a fragile post-pandemic recovery. Trade finance still blocks SMEs: Afreximbank puts Africa’s trade finance gap at about $74bn (2025), with small firms hardest hit due to collateral and credit-history barriers. Smartphone affordability push in Nigeria: Nigeria’s NCC is seeking presidential incentives for investors to set up local smartphone factories and back instalment schemes to cut device prices and expand digital access. SME credit, but the gap persists: IFC says digital lending has widened access, yet a roughly $330bn Sub-Saharan shortfall remains, with regulators tightening rules as costs and over-indebtedness rise. Payments innovation spreads: SQRIL expands stablecoin-to-QR payments into Central Asia, pitching lower fees and better merchant availability for emerging markets. Localisation “policy vs procurement” fight: South African furniture makers warn buy-local plans are undermined by procurement gaps, uneven compliance, and non-compliant imports. Migration permits tightening in SA: South Africa reports 42,000+ foreign nationals applied to register businesses as authorities move to regulate informal traders ahead of protests.