Horn of Africa Energy Push: Ethiopia and Djibouti, with Dangote, backed the $660m Damarjog–Dewele multiproduct pipeline and storage project, aiming to cut reliance on long-distance road haulage, boost energy security, and create jobs and local business opportunities along the corridor. Food Security & Agribusiness: Nigeria’s plant breeders and agribusiness stakeholders urged wider adoption of breeding innovations to raise yields and build climate-resilient supply chains amid worsening food insecurity. SME Finance & Credit Access: Zeeh Africa and LAPO Microfinance Bank expanded credit assessment using alternative data to help underserved Nigerian traders and MSMEs access formal lending. Payments for Trade: Stanbic Bank Ghana said it is simplifying AfCFTA cross-border payments using PAPSS to settle in local currencies faster and more cost-effectively for traders. Business-Community Security Dialogue: Nigeria’s Kosofe Economic and Security Dialogue called for stronger grassroots engagement, decentralisation, and tighter private sector–government–security collaboration to tackle insecurity and improve the investment climate. Electricity Access via AI Demand: The Rockefeller Foundation’s Mission 300 Accelerator launched the Emergent Grid Project to test whether AI compute demand can improve the economics of distributed renewable power for underserved communities. Policy Pressure on Businesses: South Africa’s Reserve Bank rate hike drew criticism from the Institute for Economic Justice, warning it could further strain households and businesses while inflation drivers remain partly imported.