Cross-Border Trade Push: Zimbabwe and South Africa business leaders want the Limpopo border turned into a true economic corridor to unlock investment, industry and trade under AfCFTA. SME Support & Skills: Uganda’s Equity Bank, with KPMG and NMG, launches its 2026 Top 100 Mid-Sized Companies Survey to help firms monetize growth through innovation and market expansion. SME Financing & Enterprise Growth: NCBA Bank Uganda partners with MAT Abacus Business School to deliver free training, coaching and mentorship for SMEs on governance, compliance and growth readiness. Digital Payments & Responsible AI: Nigeria’s Digital Pay Expo calls for stronger infrastructure and responsible AI to improve fraud detection and expand inclusion in the payments ecosystem. Electricity Access for Rural Growth: The World Bank approves US$60m for Sierra Leone’s distributed renewable energy push (DARES) to expand off-grid power for rural productivity and small enterprises. Rural Connectivity in Ghana: The Bruben Community Network Project tackles Ghana’s rural digital divide by improving access where weak signals block education, services and digital transactions. Migration Tensions in South Africa: South Africa tightens security and closes roads ahead of June 30 anti-foreigner protests, while foreign missions scramble for time to protect nationals. SME-Friendly Infrastructure in SA: Tech Credit Fund backs Accelerit to expand fibre and wireless internet in underserved South African communities, supporting households, small businesses and public institutions. Business Registration Pressure: South Africa reports 100,733 business registration applications by June 24, including 42,151 from foreign nationals, as government accelerates legal permitting and licensing.