Youth Entrepreneurship Finance: Liberia launched the YEIB-MANCO Technical Assistance Program with AfDB funding, backing 50 youth-led MSMEs with business planning, financial management, marketing, record-keeping and market access—aimed at making firms “bankable” for future funding. Industrial Jobs Push: Kenya’s President William Ruto will officiate a Sh12bn GulfCap–DP World deal to kick off a Mombasa Special Economic Zone in Jomvu, targeting thousands of jobs and hundreds of participating firms. SME Funding Readiness: Deloitte Ghana urged SMEs to prioritize “bankability” (credible records, governance, risk controls, strategy and traction) over growth alone to unlock capital. Cashless Divide: South Africa is moving toward cashless payments, but only about 1 in 3 adults can truly go without cash—spaza and rural needs still keep cash relevant. Cross-Border Payments: Tanzania is urged to widen bank participation, harmonise rules and better integrate local-currency regional payments to boost cross-border trade uptake. Digital Commerce Payments: Mastercard and Kenya’s Flowcart will embed secure card payments into social commerce journeys, starting in Kenya and expanding across East Africa. Regulation & Disruption: Kenya’s crackdown on foreign-owned small businesses has triggered Burundians rushing for documents and temporary protection/registration steps. Green Industry Angle: Kenya’s recycling economy is still too fragmented and underfinanced to help small businesses scale into higher-value circular manufacturing. BRICS Watch: India’s BRICS Summit (Sept 12–13) is set to spotlight practical cooperation on trade, digital tech, finance, energy and small enterprise empowerment.