Kenya’s Creative Economy: Music festivals are spreading beyond Nairobi, with events in Kisumu, Kilifi, Lamu and Mumias turning local culture into jobs for musicians, teachers and tourism-linked businesses. Bankability Gap in SA: A new report finds many profitable SMEs still can’t prove financial readiness—only 34.7% produce credible management reports and just 13.3% can present a 12-month budget—fueling a “bankability gap” and cash-flow pressure. Regional Supply Chains: SMEs are being urged to plug into COMESA procurement and regional manufacturing demand, not just sell finished goods across borders. Procurement as Growth Lever: Procurement is framed as a development tool that can keep spend circulating locally and help small firms scale. POPIA Compliance Risk: South African SMEs handling personal data face tougher POPIA enforcement, with rising security notifications and third-party supply chain attacks making compliance a business risk. Digital Payments Push: IFC backs a $700m risk-sharing push to scale digital payments in emerging markets, aiming to expand access for small businesses and women—while identity and fraud security becomes critical. ECOWAS Startup Awards: Winners of the 2nd ECOWAS Startup Awards will share $65,000 and get acceleration, mentorship and investor access to scale across West Africa. Food Safety Crackdown: South Africa’s National Consumer Commission inspected 777 suppliers amid rising concerns over unsafe, counterfeit and non-compliant food products. Eswatini Export Support: EU/ITC-backed training equips 17 local trainers to help exporters and MSMEs use market intelligence tools.