AI for SMEs: Yoco rolled out an AI business agent plus 20+ tools to help South Africa’s independent shops manage sales, customers and operations as confidence slips and costs rise. SME finance for green growth: EIB Global and Nigeria’s DBN agreed a €200m partnership to fund MSMEs and midcaps in Nigeria’s green and digital economy, with focus on renewable energy and agribusiness. Digital commerce push: NITDA and TikTok launched Digital Commerce Labs to train Nigerian SMEs to sell online and compete beyond local markets. Cross-border payments expansion: Kenya’s WapiPay secured a Canada MSB licence, opening a regulated North America hub for FX, transfers and digital-asset transactions. Agribusiness jobs drive: A Kenyan trade body and a Chinese partner are teaming up to scale Kenya’s mushroom value chain with training, equipment and market matching. Food security via climate-smart farming: Green Republic Farms’ co-founder Salaudeen-Ibrahim says solar drip irrigation and controlled-environment farming can cut food insecurity while creating jobs. Insurance gap for MSMEs (Ghana): Ghana’s MSMEs power most of GDP, but insurance penetration is about 1%, leaving many exposed to fire, theft and health risks. Policy & elections: EFF leader Julius Malema says the party will push for youth jobs and local procurement through municipal governance after 2026 voter registration. Language tech & regional integration: Burundi will host World Swahili Language Day and a Kiswahili commission conference on “Kiswahili, Multilingualism and Artificial Intelligence.”