Kenya SME crackdown: President William Ruto ordered foreigners running small shops and hawking to shut from next week, with enforcement starting Monday, Sept 7, and a promise to fast-track laws reserving certain trades for Kenyans—sparking fresh xenophobia concerns. Nigeria growth must reach households: Sen. Gbenga Daniel says Nigeria’s GDP gains won’t matter unless they translate into jobs, security, food access, and survival for small businesses amid rising power, transport and financing costs. Ghana SME financing push: Ghana’s 24-Hour Economy Secretariat plans a $500m patient, affordable facility with Bank of Ghana to fund export-ready SMEs and manufacturers, aiming to cut collateral burdens and keep rates below 10%. Nigeria power squeeze hits micro-traders: A report shows how unreliable electricity forces Nigerian small businesses to run on generators, with fuel-price pressure raising operating costs. South Africa township business barriers: The Competition Commission flags poverty and scaling hurdles in rural and township economies, pointing to sourcing, routes to market and regulatory frictions that keep small retailers out of value chains. Cybersecurity for SMEs: A new piece argues African SMEs can’t afford “big-firm” security stacks, but still need practical protection as cyberattacks rise. Uber exit ripple: Uber’s Nigeria shutdown is pushing SMEs to switch to other delivery options as logistics costs and reliability become even more critical. Digital infrastructure bet: WIOCC secured $300m to expand data centres, fibre and subsea connectivity—aimed at closing Africa’s internet gap that limits SME growth.