AGP Executive Report

Banking Expansion: Standard Bank’s Kenya unit says it will double its retail footprint by 2029, adding outlets plus digital and agent banking to win more small enterprises and mass-market customers. SME Financing Boost: The African Development Bank backed Standard Bank with a $332m deal to expand SME lending in South Africa, with AFAWA support for women entrepreneurs. Energy for Micro-Businesses: Nigeria launched the Tinubu Light Initiative to supply affordable renewable power solutions to 1 million micro, small and medium enterprises, targeting big job creation and lower operating costs. Women-Led Growth in Kenya: Kingdom Bank partnered with AWEP Kenya to improve access to finance and business support for women-owned SMEs, backed by tailored products under “Funded & Fearless.” Consumer Protection Push (Ghana): ICEDEG Africa urged passage of Ghana’s Consumer Protection Bill, arguing fragmented rules leave SMEs—especially women-owned firms—exposed in disputes with large suppliers. Payments & Merchant Acceptance (East Africa): UnionPay International and Pesapal expanded card acceptance across Tanzania and Rwanda, adding thousands of tourism and SME merchant locations. Workforce Support (South Africa): Business Partners launched a R150m SME Youth Jobs Fund to help established SMEs hire more young people by easing labour-related costs. Digital Distribution for Vouchers: A new model for monetising prepaid WiFi vouchers aims to make reseller networks easier to manage in cash-based markets. Migration Shock (South Africa): Reports say more than 160,000 migrants have fled after violence, raising fears of labour shortages and disruption to small-business and informal trade.

SME Growth Support: Paystack launches Small Business Launchpad, a four-week programme for up to 50 selected Nigerian merchants starting Aug. 27, with clinics, office hours and direct support (plus a N150,000 participation fee). AI for Development: A World Bank report argues AI is more likely to raise productivity and create opportunities in developing countries than wipe out jobs, with low-and-middle-income automation risk from generative AI put at 4.5%. Local Business Compliance & Safety: South Africa’s Panda Mart faces scrutiny after Brisbane opened with regulators running a joint operation ahead of launch, highlighting how product safety enforcement can make or break retail expansion. Digital Payments: Swift’s new international transfers initiative goes live with early rollouts by Bank of America and J.P. Morgan, promising faster, clearer cross-border payments for consumers and small businesses. Gender-Based Violence: Zimbabwe’s government renewed calls to end GBV after the deaths of Nothabo Zandile Tshuma and her two daughters, repatriated for burial in Bulawayo. Tourism & Investment Zones: Liberia signs an MOU to develop its first Special Tourism Economic Zone at Lake Piso, aiming to attract eco-tourism investment and create jobs for local businesses.

SME Resilience in Ghana: Accra Street Journal spotlights how Accra’s small businesses keep going despite high rents, rising power costs and generator bills, and hidden permit/regulatory charges—showing resilience through adaptation, not just survival. Digital Payments Trust Push (Ghana): A Ghana digital economy debate is zeroing in on one bottleneck: trust and fraud controls are now seen as the “currency” for mobile money growth and safer commerce. Cross-Border Trade for Small Traders (AfCFTA): Afreximbank and partners launch an agribusiness export readiness accelerator aimed at small operators, youth and informal traders—positioning SMEs as the engine to scale intra-African trade. Regulatory Whiplash Hurts Planning (West Africa): Nigeria-focused analysis argues that shifting rules and enforcement uncertainty can damage investment decisions more than headline tax rates. Namibia Investment Momentum: Namibia is ranked 2nd globally for new greenfield FDI, but the piece warns the real test is turning inflows into jobs and finance access for local businesses. Diesel Shock for Transport (South Africa): Diesel price increases are expected to raise freight and food logistics costs, hitting smaller operators hardest. Inclusive Instant Payments Training (Liberia & region): AfricaNenda Foundation urges interoperable instant payment systems and harmonised rules so businesses and consumers can benefit across borders. Malawi Pressure Index: A new index flags high economic pressure but points to where strategic investment can still create value.

Energy & Costs: South Africa’s diesel price hike is expected to raise business costs in Eswatini, with economists warning transport-linked inflation could show up more clearly around October as firms adjust budgets and suppliers pass on higher logistics expenses. Ports & Jobs: Delta State’s governor argues four idle ports (Warri, Koko, Sapele, Burutu) are “economic engines” and outlines a 17-department dockyard revival plan aimed at restarting trade and employment. SME Survival & Customers: A South Africa feature says the real barrier for young entrepreneurs isn’t ideas or funding—it’s getting customers to pay, using Woolworths’ Youth Makers retail showcase as a survival-focused model. Township Banking Push: Nedbank is scaling a township economy strategy after buying iKhokha, adding lending, deposits and investment banking through Ikhokha devices to grow informal and small business clients. Digital Payments for Traders: Airtel Money Kenya launched Bizna Wallet for kiosk owners, traders, boda boda riders and matatu operators, letting small businesses separate finances with free incoming payments up to KSh 250,000. Energy Access via Private Solar: Mainstream’s 50MW Ilikwa solar PV in South Africa has reached commercial operation, supplying multiple commercial/industrial customers via flexible power purchase agreements. Policy & Electricity Relief: Nelson Mandela Bay residents facing higher electricity charges after tariff changes are set to receive credits after a court order restores the inclining block tariff structure. AI for Developing Economies: A World Bank report finds generative AI automation risk is lower in low- and middle-income countries (4.5% of jobs) than in high-income ones, while productivity gains could still be meaningful. Greenfield Investment Signal: Namibia ranks second globally and first in Africa for greenfield FDI relative to economy size, driven by energy and renewables momentum. AfCFTA Market Push: Lesotho MSMEs say they’re ready to sell across Africa after SADC exposure, aiming to turn AfCFTA leads into signed contracts.

SME Finance Boost (West Africa): EBID signed an €80m deal with Coris Holding to expand lending for SMEs/SMIs across agriculture, agribusiness and energy value chains, adding liquidity for more credit. Micro-Enterprise Credit (Uganda): EIB Global and Centenary Bank say 24,000 micro-enterprises have benefited from a €100m, 7-year programme, with women making up 60%+ of beneficiaries and most projects in rural areas. Cross-Border Trade Push (Lesotho): Lesotho MSMEs say they’re ready to sell “Made in Lesotho” goods across AfCFTA after SADC Industrialization Week exposure, aiming to turn leads into contracts. Digital Payments for Traders (Kenya): Airtel Money launched Bizna Wallet for kiosk owners, traders, boda riders and matatu operators, offering free incoming payments up to KSh 250,000 to compete with Safaricom’s merchant wallet. Broadband Value War (Kenya): Zuku cut discounted Home Fibre prices while keeping higher speeds, as Kenya’s fixed broadband market shifts from expansion to affordability-led competition. Energy for Business (South Africa): Mainstream’s 50MW Ilikwa solar PV in Free State reached commercial operation, supplying multiple commercial/industrial customers via flexible power purchase agreements. Cyber Risk (Africa): INTERPOL reports AI is driving 55% of cybercrime in Africa, with losses rising sharply and automation used for fraud, ransomware and identity theft. AI & Work Safety (Nigeria): NSITF urged MSMEs to pair AI adoption with worker protection and social safeguards, warning tech alone won’t build resilient businesses. Water Security (Namibia): Namibia committed N$83.9m to replace coastal pipeline sections to improve reliable, affordable water for coastal small businesses and households.

South Africa Expansion: ROJAN FRAGRANCE TRADING launched Phase Two of its South Africa growth plan, aiming to expand local operations and partnerships and create up to ~60,000 jobs over time. West Africa Competition Watch: ECOWAS-ERCA warned that price-fixing and anti-competitive practices are raising costs and squeezing small businesses, urging stronger competition enforcement. AI + Worker Protection for MSMEs: Nigeria’s NSITF backed an ECOWAS/UNDP MSME AI training push, stressing that AI adoption must go hand-in-hand with workplace safety and social protection. Digital Payments for SMEs: Airtel Money Kenya rolled out Bizna Wallet to help micro and small traders separate business cash, track sales, and reduce unauthorised reversals, alongside expanded cashback. SME Financing via De-risking Funds: Delta State (Nigeria) unveiled a $100m viability gap fund to de-risk strategic investments and unlock private capital for jobs and industrial projects. Capital Markets for SME Lending: Tanzania marked a milestone as IFC listed its first offshore Tanzanian shilling bond on the London Stock Exchange, targeting long-term local-currency financing for MSMEs and women-led businesses. SME Growth Through Capacity Building: Keystone Bank renewed SME support with an entrepreneur capacity programme covering credit readiness, tax compliance, and scaling. Kenya Nuclear Protest Crackdown: After protests over a planned nuclear plant, authorities arrested suspects and opened cases under assault and terrorism-related charges.

SME Finance Boost (Tanzania): NMB Bank’s IFC-listed offshore Tanzanian shilling bond on the London Stock Exchange raised Tsh262bn to unlock long-term local-currency funding for MSMEs, women-led businesses and farmers. SME Payments (Kenya): Airtel Money launched Bizna Wallet for Kenyan micro and small businesses, letting merchants separate business cash, track sales, receive payments across mobile money networks, and earn 50% cashback on eligible transactions. SME Capacity Building (Nigeria): Keystone Bank, with NACCIMA and SMEDAN, rolled out an entrepreneur programme covering credit readiness, tax and compliance, and scaling strategies. Digital Trust for SMEs (Cybersecurity): CREST introduced AI accreditation standards for penetration testing providers, aiming to prove responsible AI use as adoption accelerates. Agri-Trade Rule Change (EU EUDR): A new explainer says the EU Deforestation Regulation will reshape Africa’s agricultural competitiveness, with micro and small enterprises facing compliance timelines into 2027. Local Business Funding (South Africa): A step-by-step guide explains how spaza shops can apply for the DSBD Spaza Shop Support Fund, offering up to R100,000 for upgrades, training and stock. Tourism Spend Lift (Tanzania): Visitor spending rose 19.1% in 2025, with premium leisure travel driving higher per-night spend—good news for local operators. Business Growth Programme (Nigeria): Paystack opened applications for a four-week Small Business Launchpad for active merchants, with clinics, expert office hours and free payment processing for three months after completion. Women-led Enterprise (South Africa): NDA highlighted MaRocks Laundry Services, a Ventersdorp woman-owned business that scaled with a R222,316 grant and added jobs.

ECOWAS Trade Push for MSMEs: ECOWAS Parliament is urging member states to harmonise customs, import rules, taxation and business registration, cut non-tariff barriers, and invest in trade infrastructure—plus expand affordable finance for women- and youth-led MSMEs. South Africa Forex Cartel Fight: South Africa’s Competition Commission is pursuing cross-border forex cartel allegations, framing it as a direct threat to the rand’s integrity and the cost of living for small businesses. Cape Town AfCFTA Call: Cape Town says the AfCFTA must move beyond paperwork so local firms can actually reach customers across Africa. Kenya Supply Shock Warning: Strait of Hormuz tensions are squeezing Kenya’s manufacturers via longer delivery times, higher freight and insurance costs, and strained cash flows—especially hitting small operators. Nelson Mandela Bay Power Tariff Court Battle: Small businesses in Gqeberha are bracing for a court showdown over electricity tariff hikes, arguing flawed public participation and steep price impacts. Nigeria Reform Debate Heats Up: Nigeria’s Presidency rejects Atiku Abubakar’s criticism as “outdated,” defending reforms and borrowing/subsidy/tax changes—an issue that matters for SME confidence. Mombasa SEZ Deal: DP World’s SEZ agreement in Mombasa is set to unlock over $100m investment and thousands of jobs, with 67 firms already lined up. Zimbabwe Green Entrepreneurship: A Harare entrepreneur turned plastic waste into a growing nursery business, earning recognition for combining livelihoods with environmental cleanup.

SEZ Push for Jobs in Kenya: DP World and Mombasa investor Suleiman Shahbal signed a Special Economic Zone deal worth over US$100m, targeting 7,972 direct jobs and boosting the port-and-logistics hub model. Trade Diversification for SMEs: WTO chief Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala urged Nigeria and other African economies not to panic over a US 12.5% tariff, stressing value-added non-oil exports and stronger SME growth. Fraud Crackdown in Nigeria: CBN data shows BVNs flagged as fraud-linked jumped to 13,117 in 2025 as banks tightened monitoring, while consumer credit fell for the first time since 2019. Regional MSME Relief in West Africa: ECOWAS Parliament backed harmonised customs and business rules plus affordable finance to cut non-tariff barriers and help MSMEs scale across borders. AfCFTA Step Forward: Somalia signed into law to join AfCFTA, clearing the way to ratify and give local firms wider market access. Local Business Spotlight in Eswatini: Standard Bank’s Luju Festival in Malkerns is framed as a market-access engine for small creative businesses, drawing visitors from across Africa. Community Entrepreneurship in Zimbabwe: A Harare man turned discarded plastic into a growing ornamental plant business, showing how waste can become livelihoods. Digital Finance & Inclusion in Nigeria: A Lagos fintech roundtable focused on responsible regulation, cybersecurity, and collaboration to expand access to savings, credit and investing via mobile. Women’s Economic Empowerment: South Africa’s Women’s Month 2026 launch highlighted women-led trade and business market access. Energy Access Reality Check: A global energy report warns that renewable progress still leaves millions without reliable electricity—an SME and household productivity drag.

Regional Trade Push: ECOWAS Parliament backed harmonised customs procedures and business registration rules, plus affordable finance for MSMEs, urging member states to cut non-tariff barriers and implement trade protocols. AfCFTA Momentum: Somalia signed AfCFTA accession law, clearing the way to deposit its ratification and giving local firms easier access to the continent’s single market. SME Finance Boost: Afreximbank approved a US$190m package for Zimbabwe’s CBZ Bank to expand trade finance and SME lending, including energy-linked investments. Kenya Digital Payments for Merchants: Safaricom raised Pochi la Biashara’s fee-free limit to KSh200 and cut M-PESA merchant charges to keep more small transactions digital. Kenya Mobile Network Expansion: Safaricom plans 300 more masts and larger data bundles to meet rising mobile broadband demand. SME Lending Repayment Support: Kenya’s Hustler Fund launched the Tukuze Hub for better borrower documentation, training and financial literacy as defaults rise. Business Climate Warning (South Africa): A report ranks South Africa’s entrepreneurship ecosystem among the weakest globally, pointing to framework conditions that still block founders. Zimbabwe Jobs via Import Substitution: A new study says Zimbabwe could create thousands of jobs by swapping about US$3bn of imports with locally producible goods, especially in pharma, fertiliser, steel and tissue. Cross-Border Disruption (Ceuta): Migrant influx in Spain’s Ceuta led to business closures and shortages, with local shops reopening “with caution.” Environment Hit to Tourism: Seaweed (sargassum) smothered Caribbean and Gulf coastlines, with scientists warning it’s an unusual, worsening pattern.

Trade & MSMEs: ECOWAS Parliament is pushing West Africa to harmonise customs, import rules, taxes and business registration to cut non-tariff barriers and help MSMEs scale across borders. Digital payments for small traders: Kenya’s Safaricom is boosting M-PESA value and easing costs—raising Pochi la Biashara’s fee-free limit to KSh200 and expanding data bundles under its PATA MORE push. SME finance boost: Afreximbank has signed a US$190m package for Zimbabwe’s CBZ Bank to expand trade finance and SME lending, plus support energy-linked investments. Kenya SME credit with gender/green focus: EBRD and KCB Bank Kenya launch a $100m facility aimed at widening SME credit, prioritising women-led businesses and sustainable projects. Entrepreneurship environment: South Africa’s entrepreneurial ecosystem is ranked among the weakest globally, with business leaders pointing to framework conditions that still block growth. Local empowerment funding: Zimbabwe’s ZSE and Lloyd Corporate Capital partner to route growth capital to SMEs via ZEEX. Community impact recognition: Zimbabwe’s NODE wins continental recognition for community empowerment work. ESG convening: Nairobi hosts GreenShift Forum 2026 in October to turn ESG commitments into business outcomes. Policy debate: South Africa’s minister sparks debate over whether foreigners should be barred from owning hair salons in Zimbabwe. Online reselling compliance: Eswatini authorities are spotlighting customs compliance risks as social commerce grows. Uganda oil reality check: Analysts question whether Uganda’s oil economics still deliver the jobs and local business gains once expected.

Telecom Boost for Kenyan SMBs: Safaricom will add 300 more network masts (to reach 500 sites) and expand selected data bundles, while also lifting the fee-free Pochi la Biashara limit from KSh100 to KSh200 for 90 days from 1 August—aimed at making small merchant payments easier and reducing the cash habit. SME Finance in Kenya: The EBRD launched a $100m facility with KCB Bank Kenya, with 30% earmarked for women-led SMEs and 30% for green investments, plus advisory support to help smaller firms become more bankable. Zimbabwe Growth Capital Channel: The ZSE signed an MoU with Lloyd Corporate Capital to expand access to growth finance for SMEs via ZEEX, linking investment-ready businesses to structured private capital and regulated capital market funding. Digital Skills & Trust: Kenya completed a two-week training for internet domain experts from 25 African countries to strengthen ccTLD management and cybersecurity. South Africa AI Governance Debate: Parliament pushed back on creating new AI oversight bodies, arguing existing regulators should be empowered instead. Business Resilience Support: Delta State (Nigeria) announced ₦2m grants and monthly stipends for 86 returnees repatriated after xenophobic attacks, alongside medical screening and trauma counselling.

SME Finance Boost: Afreximbank has closed a US$190m package for Zimbabwe’s CBZ Bank, including US$20m for dual-tranche SME lending and on-lending to support power stability. SME Funding Deal: The African Development Bank and Standard Bank backed a R5.4bn financing package for South African SMEs, with extra support for women-led firms and digital tools to build credit histories. Women & Youth Enterprise Push: Ghana’s Kaizen Awards spotlighted productivity-driven SMEs, while Ghana’s Women in SME Fair showed Ghana-made products ready for AfCFTA trade. Digital Payments & Inclusion: Kenya’s Hustler Fund launched the Tukuze Hub for well-repaying borrowers, and payments coverage highlights faster, more interoperable transactions beyond mobile money. Connectivity Cost Relief: Safaricom’s “Pata More” campaign expands data bundles and cuts mobile money transaction costs. Cyber Risk for Small Firms: Kaspersky warns ad platforms can be abused by cybercriminals to profile and target users. Regional Trade Barriers: ECOWAS MPs urged dismantling trade barriers to unlock growth for West African MSMEs.

ECOWAS Trade Push for MSMEs: ECOWAS Parliament lawmakers, after a Cotonou field visit, pledged to tackle border bottlenecks, harassment, unofficial payments and inconsistent customs that keep West African MSMEs from scaling. Nigeria Reform Payoff: Finance Minister Taiwo Oyedele says Nigeria’s reforms are moving from stabilising the economy to turning it into jobs and higher incomes, while promising transparency on where fuel/FX subsidy savings went. Cost of Capital Focus: Nigeria is developing a framework to reduce borrowing costs without new subsidies, aiming to unlock private investment as inflation moderates. Youth Enterprise Boost (Namibia): Prime Minister Ngurare urged bigger investment in youth-led businesses at the Eenhana Expo, linking enterprise support to jobs and AfCFTA opportunities. Water Security for Business (Namibia): Government launched the final N$83.9m coastal pipeline replacement to secure water for 200,000+ residents and protect Erongo’s economic future. Digital Finance for SMEs (Africa): Moniepoint says it now serves 20m+ businesses/individuals monthly and that 75% of its loans went to first-time formal-credit users, with expansion beyond Nigeria. SME Market Access Scam Alert (Kenya): A fake Facebook NYOTA Fund Phase 2 page is pushing paid “registration” links; government says the real programme is free and no application is ongoing. Cross-border Payments (Ghana): Access Bank Ghana partners Points Africa to expand Rewards by Access merchant earn-and-redeem options. Mining Jobs Hope (Uganda): London-listed Blencowe Resources raised the value of its Orom-Cross graphite project, aiming to improve financing prospects and start construction/production in 2027.

Direct-to-consumer exports: Madagascar’s Malagasy Vanilla says Temu’s Local Seller Program (with lower Belgium shipping costs via Bnode) helped it sell to consumers across 14 European markets, cutting logistics costs nearly in half and quadrupling sales in four months. SME finance pressure: Nigeria’s finance minister says a new framework will lower the cost of capital without fresh subsidies, aiming to turn macro stability into more jobs and investment as SMEs wait for relief from high borrowing costs. Regulatory whiplash: A Nigeria-focused analysis argues policy surprise and uneven enforcement can hit SMEs harder than headline tax rates by destabilising planning, inventory and market entry. Ghana agribusiness bottleneck: Ghana Nuts faces raw-material risk as GIPA urges it to invest in shea tree cultivation to secure sustainable supply for export processing. SME enablement win: Nedbank’s SimplyBiz platform was named Overall Winner for “Best SME Beyond Banking Service Initiative,” highlighting non-financial support like coaching, tools and market access. Payments leadership move: Airtel Money Kenya’s Anne Kinuthia-Otieno joins Visa as VP and Head of East Africa, tasked with expanding digital payments and inclusion across seven markets. Credit scoring for farmers: UfarmX (Alexander Zanders) says it has individually credit-scored 17,000 farmers and unlocked $6.8m in agri commerce, building data-driven credit infrastructure to expand lending. Entrepreneurship ecosystem gap (SA): South Africa’s GEM report flags a weak support ecosystem, scoring 3.9/10 on the entrepreneurship context index, with implementation gaps hurting SME growth. Tourism tailwind (SA): South Africa logged 5.58m international arrivals in H1 2026 (+12.3%), boosting demand for local services that many small businesses rely on.

AI & Power Security: Nigeria’s AI push is running into a basic blocker: electricity. The World Bank warns the country could miss the AI/industrial revolution if it doesn’t urgently scale power, grids and data-centre capacity. Green Finance for SMEs: Kenya’s KCB secured a $100m EBRD facility with 35% for women and youth-led enterprises and 30% for green investments, aiming to expand MSME lending in renewable energy and climate-smart agriculture. Competition & AfCFTA: Kenya is stepping up action against cartels and dominance to protect AfCFTA benefits for SMEs, while ECOWAS lawmakers push sanctions for states that fail to implement MSME trade policies. Women in Trade: Ghana’s CBG and Women of Africa Network opened a three-day conference to boost women-owned businesses with finance, markets and networking. Border Trade Upgrade: Mozambique awarded Chinese firms a 25-year deal to build and run a one-stop border post at Machipanda linking to Zimbabwe—expected to cut delays and congestion for hundreds of daily trucks. Digital Payments: Onafriq partnered with Privy to expand stablecoin-powered cross-border payments across Africa. Cost-of-Living Pressure: Nigeria’s minimum wage debate is back, with labour calling for a living wage as inflation erodes the ₦70,000 floor. Township Tourism: South Africa’s Daveyton Tourism is betting on bicycle tours to reframe township travel and create local jobs. Crime Watch: Bulawayo faced another daylight heist as armed robbers raided a Jet Store cash point.