Power & Grid Reliability (Nigeria): Nigeria has started building a new National Control Centre for the Independent System Operator in Osogbo to replace a 64-year-old facility, aiming to improve monitoring and electricity reliability—key for manufacturers and small businesses. SME Finance & Credit Visibility (Tanzania): Mastercard argues Tanzania’s small firms still struggle to access bank lending because lenders can’t “see” consistent transaction records, calling for collaboration across banks, operators and regulators to unlock credit. Payments & Digital Rails (Africa): Multiple pieces highlight how mobile and digital payments are becoming core business infrastructure, with a push for trusted, secure rails as AI and agent-assisted commerce grow. Competition & Deal Approvals (South Africa): The Competition Tribunal approved MTN’s full takeover of IHS Towers with conditions to protect jobs and customers; CompCom also cleared Capitec Rental Finance’s sale to Sasfin. SME Compliance Costs (Kenya): A report breaks down what it costs businesses to fully comply with Kenya’s rules, especially for foreign operators—licences, taxes, payroll deductions and immigration paperwork. Trade & Investment Platforms (Ghana/Togo/Lesotho): Ghana launched its Eastern Expo to drive trade and industrialisation; Togo’s EBID is preparing for a 2027 investment forum; Lesotho held an AfCFTA-focused B2B seminar linking MSMEs to buyers. Energy Jobs Promise (Kenya): Aliko Dangote began work on a major Lamu refinery and pledged a training school for 1,000 residents to feed jobs and skills into the project.