Anti-immigration pressure on local trade: In Soweto, street vendors joined marches against undocumented migrants, with hawkers saying permits are limited while unregistered traders crowd the same spaces—raising fears for small-business survival and local livelihoods. Township tourism hit by June 30 unrest: South African township tour operators report sharp booking cancellations and revenue drops as visitor confidence falls ahead of planned protests, threatening a fragile post-pandemic recovery. Trade finance still blocks SMEs: Afreximbank puts Africa’s trade finance gap at about $74bn (2025), with small firms hardest hit due to collateral and credit-history barriers. Smartphone affordability push in Nigeria: Nigeria’s NCC is seeking presidential incentives for investors to set up local smartphone factories and back instalment schemes to cut device prices and expand digital access. SME credit, but the gap persists: IFC says digital lending has widened access, yet a roughly $330bn Sub-Saharan shortfall remains, with regulators tightening rules as costs and over-indebtedness rise. Payments innovation spreads: SQRIL expands stablecoin-to-QR payments into Central Asia, pitching lower fees and better merchant availability for emerging markets. Localisation “policy vs procurement” fight: South African furniture makers warn buy-local plans are undermined by procurement gaps, uneven compliance, and non-compliant imports. Migration permits tightening in SA: South Africa reports 42,000+ foreign nationals applied to register businesses as authorities move to regulate informal traders ahead of protests.
AGP Executive Report
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SME Finance & Payments: NMB Bank and Mastercard launched the NMB SME World Business Credit Card in Tanzania, offering up to Sh50m credit with up to 53 interest-free days to help SMEs smooth cash flow and fund stock and daily operations. Local Manufacturing Push: Nigeria’s NCC chair Idris Olorunnimbe pledged to seek presidential incentives and waivers to attract smartphone manufacturers to build factories in-country before November, aiming to cut device prices and boost jobs. SME Policy & Registration: South Africa’s migration crackdown is driving faster business registration: over 42,000 foreign nationals have applied to register businesses, while government pushes legal permits for informal traders. Procurement Reality Check: South Africa’s furniture makers warn that “localisation” policy is undermined by procurement gaps, uneven compliance, and non-compliant imports—turning promises into lost opportunities. Enterprise Support: Zimbabwe reaffirmed its commitment to an enabling environment for MSMEs, while officials trained entrepreneurship coaches under an ILO/AfDB-backed youth and women employability programme. Trade & Logistics Reform: Ethiopia opened its logistics sector to full foreign ownership, removing the 49% cap to attract investment and improve supply chains. Governance & Business Climate: South Africa’s municipal performance remains under scrutiny ahead of elections, with Auditor-General feedback highlighting both progress and persistent reporting and statistics verification problems.
SME Finance Boost (Tanzania): NMB Bank and Mastercard launched the NMB SME World Business Credit Card in Arusha, offering up to Sh50m credit with up to 53 interest-free days to ease working-capital pressure. MSME Support Push (Zimbabwe): Zimbabwe’s Women’s Affairs ministry reaffirmed its commitment to an enabling environment for MSMEs, while government officials were trained as entrepreneurship coaches under the ILO/AfDB-backed SYWEP project for women and youth. Local Procurement Reality Check (South Africa): Manufacturers say buy-local and localisation promises are undermined by procurement gaps, uneven compliance, and non-compliant imports—especially in furniture. Migration Pressure on Small Traders (South Africa): South Africa’s migration committee reported 42,000+ foreign nationals applied to register businesses, as authorities move to tighten permits ahead of protests. Digital Payments & SME Tools (Nigeria): Bank charges and hidden deductions are eroding trust in digital payments, while Paystack’s AI checkout push signals more SME-focused fintech automation. Energy Access for Businesses (Sierra Leone): The World Bank approved $60m to expand electricity via solar home systems and mini-grids, targeting rural households, schools, health facilities, and 24,000 businesses. Logistics Reform (Ethiopia): Ethiopia opened its logistics sector to full foreign ownership, aiming to cut trade costs and improve supply chains. Smartphone Manufacturing Incentives (Nigeria): NCC chair said he will seek presidential incentives for investors to build smartphone factories, to lower device costs and grow local value chains. Waste Sector Data Platform (South Africa): DFFE urged compliant waste-economy MSMEs to register on WEERSA, a new directory meant to improve sector planning and support.
Waste-Economy Formalisation (South Africa): The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment urged compliant micro, small and medium waste-sector businesses to register on the new Waste Economy Enterprises Repository of South Africa (WEERSA), a directory meant to map and connect enterprises and improve policy support. SME Finance Push (South Africa): The Township and Rural Entrepreneurship Programme (TREP) in South Africa raised its ceiling to R3m and set aside R710m for 2026/27, using blended loans and grants to help township and rural owners grow. Digital Payments for Merchants (Kenya): Safaricom’s Pochi la Biashara hit a milestone with women making up 52% of active users (about 900,000 by end-2025), as many separate business income from household spending. Electricity Access Funding (Sierra Leone): The World Bank approved $60m to expand clean power via solar home systems and mini-grids, targeting reliable electricity for households, schools, health facilities and businesses. Digital Finance Expansion (Cameroon): Wave met BEAC, ART and other regulators to deepen digital payments, transaction security and financial inclusion. Cross-Border Trade (Zimbabwe–South Africa): Business leaders urged turning the Limpopo border into a full economic corridor to unlock investment and trade under AfCFTA. AI Checkout for SMEs (Nigeria): Paystack launched an AI agent checkout “Index” in Nigeria, letting users pay through supported AI tools while keeping payments on Paystack’s infrastructure. Local Contractors in Infrastructure (South Africa): A Gauteng roadshow said government infrastructure spending will place local small and emerging businesses at the centre, with training and access to opportunities.
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.
SME Capital Access: Zimbabwe’s ZSE and NVCCZ signed an MoU to create ZEEX, a digital pathway for venture-backed start-ups and SMEs to graduate into capital markets funding. Digital Finance for Growth: Nigeria’s Jaiz Bank reported 24% profit growth in 2025 (PBT N31.24bn) and shareholders approved a fresh N150bn capital raise to expand lending. Trade & Market Signals: Nigeria’s NGX slid 2.35% on June 24 as profit-taking hit heavyweights, while borrowing concerns kept fixed-income activity subdued. Energy for Business: Ghana’s Minority warned utility tariff hikes from July 1 could derail the “24-hour economy” by raising costs for manufacturers, processors and small enterprises. Electricity Scale-Up: World Bank/AFDB’s Mission 300 said 50m+ people are now connected to power, with knock-on benefits for clinics, students and small businesses. Infrastructure Delivery: South Africa’s engineering sector says fragmented project processes are undermining outcomes, pushing interest in integrated project delivery. Safety for Local Traders: Lagos recorded a three-storey commercial building collapse at Alakija Bus Stop; six were rescued initially, with more later pulled out. Cross-border Payments: Kappa Pay raised $20m to scale cross-border payments across Africa.
Banking Leadership in Togo: Orabank Togo CEO Guy Martial Awona leads a lender serving 440,000 customers across 39 branches, with a focus on strengthening corporate and SME financing. SME Finance in Nigeria: Jaiz Bank reported 24% gross earnings growth in 2025 and shareholders approved a fresh N150bn capital raise to expand lending to businesses. Trade & Market Access: China pledged deeper trade ties with Zimbabwe, citing record 2025 trade of US$4.4bn and new zero-tariff access for African exports. Cross-Border Logistics for SMEs: FedEx highlights how customs friction and documentation delays still slow AfCFTA trade for SMEs, even as policy progress continues. Ghana Industrial Push: Government unveiled plans for an automotive research and testing laboratory at Suame Magazine to boost local manufacturing, testing and certification. Innovation Support in South Africa: TSE relocated to Ditsela Place to help start-ups and SMMEs with prototyping, low-volume manufacturing and product development. SME Payments & Fintech: Flutterwave’s SME head says Africa’s payment infrastructure is now “at par” globally, with stablecoins positioned as infrastructure for faster, safer cross-border payments. SME Growth via Digital Skills: Nigeria’s push to train 5m businesses is tied to Mastercard’s plans and Tinubu’s push for youth-ready, tech-savvy workforces. Tourism Boost in KZN: KwaZulu-Natal expects 920,320 visitors and about R1.9bn winter spend, supporting local accommodation and tour businesses. Capital Markets Buzz: Dangote’s planned IPO for its refinery business is drawing retail and wealthy investors, with banks and brokerages opening accounts and offering credit.
Public Procurement Crackdown: South Africa’s new procurement rules are being slammed as “costly, unwieldy and unworkable,” with critics warning that complexity can fuel corruption more than compliance. SME Digital Push: MTN and SMEDAN are driving mySMEville to reach 5 million MSMEs, aiming to close finance, infrastructure and market-access gaps. Payments Upgrade for Merchants: Yoco is moving beyond card payments with an AI-powered business platform, loyalty tools and lower fees for independent retailers. Cross-Border Fintech Expansion: Kenya’s WapiPay enters Canada after getting an MSB licence, adding FX and transfers to its global payments network. Trade & Market Access: Nigeria’s Abuja trade fair targets 100,000 visitors and 10,000 products, while Tanzania’s Sabasaba Golden Jubilee (50 years) prepares for its biggest edition. Climate & Resilience Finance: The OPEC Fund approved new projects and launched a US$1.5bn digital transformation plan, with total financing support topping US$2.8bn. Energy for Small Businesses: A South Africa study highlights how solar and entrepreneurship training can help shack settlements cope with unreliable, unaffordable power. Policy Tensions & Protests: South Africa’s taxi industry warns against disruptions ahead of 30 June anti-immigration protests, stressing risks to travel, trade and livelihoods.
Trade & Marketplaces: Tanzania’s Sabasaba trade fair marks its Golden Jubilee at 50 years, with preparations for the biggest edition yet (June 28–July 13) aimed at linking local firms to global buyers. Digital Skills for SMEs: Nigeria’s Tinubu met Mastercard CEO Michael Miebach and backed a plan to train 5 million businesses in digital skills, tying it to formalising the informal SME sector and expanding credit and payments. Capital Access for Zimbabwe SMEs: Zimbabwe Stock Exchange and SMEDCO signed an MoU to expand funding via ZEEX, adding onboarding, compliance and governance support to make startups investment-ready. Climate Finance for Namibia: Development Bank of Namibia secured a US$1m Green Climate Fund grant, unlocking potential access to up to US$250m more for climate-ready projects. Energy Costs & Survival: South Africa’s energy poverty is worsening in shack settlements; a study in Qandu Qandu explores how solar plus entrepreneurship training can cut risk and help households cope. Payments & Inclusion: Wema Bank signed a €50m EIB Global facility to boost SME lending in Nigeria, with half earmarked for youth and half for women-focused businesses. SME Tech & Infrastructure: Cape Town’s Hotel & Hospitality Expo Africa spotlights tourism-linked supply chains and jobs, while South Africa’s home-based businesses lean on courier networks to sell nationally. Migration Tensions: Durban’s repatriation sites are overwhelmed as more displaced people arrive, raising concerns for stability and livelihoods.
Digital Skills Push in Nigeria: President Tinubu met Mastercard CEO Michael Miebach in Abuja and backed a plan to train 5 million Nigerian small businesses with digital skills, linking SME formalisation to jobs, investment and global trade readiness. Digital Commerce Labs for SMEs: TikTok and the ICC, with NITDA and Lagos State Employment Trust Fund, launched Digital Commerce Labs in Lagos to help Nigerian merchants sell online as social commerce booms. Credit Gap Spotlight: Mutual Benefit Insurance says only 6% of Nigerians have access to formal credit, arguing that SMEs need a broader financial inclusion mix beyond lending. SME Financing in Kenya: Absa Bank Kenya partnered with Google Hustle Academy to train and support 3,000 SMEs over 12 months, with AI-focused digital upskilling. MSME Lending Expansion: 4G Capital said it has disbursed over $1bn in loans to East African MSMEs across Kenya and Uganda, citing strong repayment performance. Clean Energy for Industry: Nigeria and Niger State broke ground on a solar-powered industrial park with a 200MW solar mini-grid to power heavy industry off-grid. Insurance Inclusion Pact: FANAF is set to convene African regulators and insurers in Benin to adopt a Pan-African Pact for Insurance Inclusion and boost penetration. Power Backup for Small Offices: Vertiv launched compact desktop UPS units for homes and small businesses across EMEA to reduce disruption from power outages.
Pan-African Insurance Push: FANAF is convening a July 6–8 General Assembly on Insurance for All in Benin, aiming to adopt a Pan-African Pact for Insurance Inclusion and a 2026–2030 action plan to double insurance penetration by 2040. Regional Trade Integration: SADC legislators wrapped UNCTAD capacity training on AfCFTA implementation, with a focus on trade governance and the non-tariff barriers that keep small traders stuck at borders. Digital Payments for SMEs: BancABC and Visa signed a five-year partnership to expand secure digital payments for retail and SMEs in Zimbabwe. Banking + SME Financing: Centenary Bank and the African Guarantee Fund launched a Uganda SME financing partnership, with an enterprise summit targeting smarter, more inclusive credit for women and youth. SME Tools from Fintech: Paystack launched a Small Business Program in Nigeria offering a bundle of discounts on tools and services (up to ₦4m) to help merchants run and grow. Ghana Formalization Platform: Trident’s Sikaflow goes live in Ghana, bundling commerce, business management, tax automation and financial services to help MSMEs move from informal to formal. Youth Jobs Focus: The World Bank urged Ghana to prioritize youth job creation and smoother education-to-work transitions, warning unemployment could become a wider drag across Africa. Local Enterprise Spotlight: An Eastern Cape entrepreneur is turning an ancient tradition into rural jobs via heritage-inspired bone broth production.
Township trade history: A South Africa piece argues that black entrepreneurship, informal finance and wholesale networks thrived long before 1994, pushing back on claims that township commerce only emerged after democracy. Migrant crackdown fallout: In Durban, thousands of Malawians are being verified and processed at a new repatriation site after evictions and job losses tied to anti-immigrant campaigns, with Home Affairs saying thousands have been sent home and more still need processing. SME payments push: Paystack launches a Small Business Program in Nigeria, offering eligible merchants up to ₦4m in discounts on tools and services via partners. Digital tools for growth: Mastercard’s SME Confidence Index highlights South Africa SMEs’ digital maturity, with high online payment acceptance and optimism for revenue growth. Energy policy meets reality: Nigeria’s Net Billing Regulations let solar “prosumers” sell power to the grid, but an inverter/hardware gap threatens rollout. Entrepreneurship infrastructure: Nigeria and South Korea back an Abuja Centre for Entrepreneurship (ACE) project to train, incubate and mentor youths, startups and MSMEs. SME risk spotlight: A report warns a major data breach could put SMEs at greatest risk.
SME Finance Push (Nigeria): Nigeria’s industry ministry says capital importation hit about $21bn in the first 10 months of 2025 and that 115,000+ MSMEs accessed grants, loans and trade finance, as it reviews industrial policy delivery. Tourism Spend (South Africa): KwaZulu-Natal forecasts 920,320 winter visitors (June 26–July 20) and about R1.9bn in tourism revenue, a boost for local operators. SME Credit Line (Nigeria): Wema Bank secured a €50m EIB Global facility to expand lending for SMEs, with at least half earmarked for youth and women, plus climate-focused technical support. SME Digital Momentum (South Africa): Mastercard’s SME Confidence Index reports 80% online payment acceptance among South African SMEs and 43% expecting revenue growth, pointing to stronger digital foundations. Export Standards (Eswatini): Eswatini’s proposed ESWASA law aims to make standards compliance more enforceable to help SMEs reach bigger markets and unlock exports. Risk Watch (South Africa): A report flags a 24bn-record breach exposure risk for SMEs, warning that compromised staff login accounts can cascade across tools. Local Growth (Cameroon): IFC selects seven Cameroonian firms for an investment readiness programme to improve governance and access financing. Displaced Economies (East Africa): A new report estimates refugees and IDPs generate $27bn annually, but lack banking and credit infrastructure—creating investment opportunities in entrepreneurship, agriculture, and services. Trade & Markets (Oman–Tanzania): Oman will take part in Tanzania’s Saba Saba Exhibition with a pavilion of 24 companies to boost exports and partnerships. Talent & Retention (Accounting SMEs): ACCA launches an SMP Talent Management Toolkit to help small accounting practices recruit, upskill and retain staff amid AI-driven change.
Digital Commerce for SMEs: TikTok and the ICC launched Digital Commerce Labs in Lagos to help Nigerian small businesses sell online and reach international markets. AI Tools for Independent Traders: Yoco rolled out an AI business agent plus new features aimed at easing sales, customer and admin burdens for South Africa’s small firms. SME Finance Push in Ghana: Bank of Ghana urged Standard Chartered to expand SME lending, but the bank’s disclosed portfolio shows SMEs at just 1% of loans. Green Growth Funding for Nigeria: EIB Global and DBN agreed a €200m partnership to back MSMEs and midcaps in Nigeria’s green and digital economy, including renewable energy and agribusiness. Energy Access Spotlight (Nigeria): REA’s off-grid push is framed as a quiet revolution expanding electricity access and powering public institutions. Energy as a Business Constraint: A new piece calls Africa’s “energy pandemic” a daily drag on SMEs, schools and healthcare. Crypto Shift Linked to Remittances: Coverage argues Africa’s crypto crackdown is evolving into a remittance-focused, licensing-and-compliance approach. Durban Corruption Probe: Four Durban metro police officers were arrested and suspended over alleged extortion of a businessman. SME Growth Mindset (Zimbabwe): Zimbabwe’s SMEs association warns many firms stay trapped in survival mode without long-term planning.
AI for SMEs: Yoco rolled out an AI business agent plus 20+ tools to help South Africa’s independent shops manage sales, customers and operations as confidence slips and costs rise. SME finance for green growth: EIB Global and Nigeria’s DBN agreed a €200m partnership to fund MSMEs and midcaps in Nigeria’s green and digital economy, with focus on renewable energy and agribusiness. Digital commerce push: NITDA and TikTok launched Digital Commerce Labs to train Nigerian SMEs to sell online and compete beyond local markets. Cross-border payments expansion: Kenya’s WapiPay secured a Canada MSB licence, opening a regulated North America hub for FX, transfers and digital-asset transactions. Agribusiness jobs drive: A Kenyan trade body and a Chinese partner are teaming up to scale Kenya’s mushroom value chain with training, equipment and market matching. Food security via climate-smart farming: Green Republic Farms’ co-founder Salaudeen-Ibrahim says solar drip irrigation and controlled-environment farming can cut food insecurity while creating jobs. Insurance gap for MSMEs (Ghana): Ghana’s MSMEs power most of GDP, but insurance penetration is about 1%, leaving many exposed to fire, theft and health risks. Policy & elections: EFF leader Julius Malema says the party will push for youth jobs and local procurement through municipal governance after 2026 voter registration. Language tech & regional integration: Burundi will host World Swahili Language Day and a Kiswahili commission conference on “Kiswahili, Multilingualism and Artificial Intelligence.”
SME Finance Boost (Nigeria): EIB Global and DBN signed a €200m partnership to back small-scale investments for Nigerian MSMEs in green and digital sectors, with support for renewable energy and agribusiness supply chains. Digital Commerce Skills (Nigeria): NITDA and TikTok launched Digital Commerce Labs to equip Nigerian SMEs with tools and training to sell online and reach wider markets. Cross-border Payments (Kenya): WapiPay secured a Canada MSB licence, opening a regulated North America hub for FX, transfers and payments, including virtual-asset handling. Insurance Gap (Ghana): Ahead of MSME Day, reporting highlights Ghana’s low insurance penetration (~1% of GDP) despite SMEs driving most business activity—pointing to a major protection and risk-management shortfall. Agribusiness Value Chain (Kenya): KNCCI’s Chamber Business Academy partnered with a China-Africa trade body to scale a mushroom value chain via training, equipment and business matching. Markets Watch (Zimbabwe): Zimbabwe’s capital markets rebounded in May as investor sentiment improved, though gains were concentrated in a few counters. Food Security Angle (Zimbabwe): A feature spotlights beekeeping as a practical rural income and pollination engine for Zimbabwe’s farms. Policy & Risk (Ghana): A critique warns Ghana’s “24-hour economy” logistics face a real-time visibility blindspot for SMEs after hours.
Stablecoin rails for SMBs: Flutterwave says Ripple is investing in its Series E to accelerate stablecoin payments and cross-border settlement, aiming to cut frictions for African businesses. SME digital skills push (Nigeria): NITDA and TikTok launched Digital Commerce Labs to train Nigerian SMEs on online sales, content, AI tools and cross-border commerce. Cross-border fintech expansion (Kenya): WapiPay secured a Canada MSB licence, adding a regulated North America hub for FX, transfers and virtual-asset transactions. SME credit for mobility (Nigeria): CREDICORP and partners distributed 50 Nigerian-made tricycles to transport operators in Ogun to expand consumer credit and boost local manufacturing. Banking access (Nigeria): Access Bank’s Auto Fest offers up to 90% vehicle financing with digital approvals in 72 hours. Regional finance collaboration (Nigeria): Finance minister Taiwo Oyedele urged deeper IsDB partnership to unlock affordable development finance and include SMEs, especially women and youth. Debt pressure on entrepreneurs (Africa): LEAF Africa warns Africa’s debt trap is raising SME lending costs and choking venture funding, citing Ghana’s 2022 default effects. Cash dependency warning: A new report highlights Africa’s cash economy is still holding back growth, limiting formal finance for SMBs. Markets growth story (Nigeria): Marketsquare marks 10 years, detailing how the indigenous grocer scaled from one store to 41 outlets across 19 cities.
BRICS MSME push: India says BRICS cooperation can help strengthen micro, small and medium enterprises, tackle financing and tech gaps, and boost inclusive growth across the bloc. Debt squeeze on African SMEs: LEAF Africa warns Africa’s debt “trap” is raising the cost of capital and choking venture and bank lending, citing Ghana’s 2022 default and knock-on effects for start-ups. Banking expansion in East Africa: Absa plans to lift its stake in Kenya’s Absa Bank Kenya to 85% in a R4bn deal, joining a wider South African push to grow SME-linked banking across the region. Digital commerce for Nigerian SMBs: TikTok and the ICC launch Digital Commerce Labs in Lagos to train MSMEs on online sales, content, AI tools and cross-border reach. SME finance in Nigeria: Nigeria’s industrial policy update says $380m was mobilised in 90 days for MSME clusters and an entrepreneurship centre, with plans for a ₦350bn MSME development fund. AI visibility for South African businesses: Juicy Designs rolls out an “AI Visibility” framework to help SMEs get cited in AI search answers like Google AI Overviews and ChatGPT. Displacement as a market: A report estimates Africa’s 43.1m displaced people generate about $27bn a year, but lack formal financial infrastructure—pointing to new investment opportunities in entrepreneurship and supply chains. Energy transition equity question: A commentary argues Africa’s power build-out often benefits large off-takers, leaving smaller manufacturers and township entrepreneurs exposed to tariff and reliability shocks. Cameroon SME showcase: Promote 2026 in Yaoundé brings 236 local SMEs to the trade fair, supported by banks and government financing.
AI Marketing Shift for SMEs: South Africa’s Juicy Designs launched an “AI Visibility” framework to help local businesses get cited in Google AI Overviews, Google AI Mode, ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity—aiming to win customers when search results turn into single answers. Digital Commerce Push: TikTok and the ICC launched Nigeria’s Digital Commerce Labs to train micro, small and medium enterprises to sell online and reach global markets. SME Financing Drive: Nigeria’s federal government says it mobilised $380m in 90 days under the Nigeria Industrial Policy, including $369m via AfDB for MSME industrial clusters and plans for a proposed ₦350bn MSME Development Fund. Trade Finance for Growth: Ghana International Bank will use an AfDB-backed guarantee to cover up to 100% of default risk on trade deals, helping keep letters of credit moving for exporters and importers. E-commerce for African Merchants: Payaza debuted Shopaza, an AI-powered store builder for branded online shops with integrated payments and instant settlement. Energy Transition, Power Access: South Africa’s AMEA Power hit commercial operation for a 120MW solar project under Bid Window 6, a boost for energy security and industrial growth. Policy Watch: Uganda’s UCC proposed telecom tax reforms to cut taxes on smartphones, data and mobile money to improve affordability and digital inclusion.
Cash vs mobile money reality check: Affinity Africa’s report says Africa leads mobile money (74% share; $1.1tn value in 2024) yet over 90% of value is withdrawn as cash, keeping SMEs cash-based and widening a $330bn financing gap. Digital commerce push for MSMEs: TikTok and the ICC launched Digital Commerce Labs in Lagos, offering free training and tools to help Nigerian micro, small and medium businesses sell online and expand beyond local markets. Cross-border payments infrastructure: Fasset raised $51m Series B to build an AI-enabled financial network linking banks, telcos and on/off-ramp providers across emerging markets. Intra-Africa trade enabler: GoTyme Bank’s team argues low-cost digital rails and free payment services like PayShap can cut transaction costs for informal traders and small businesses. SME risk coverage spotlight (Ghana): Ghana marks MSMEs Day with renewed focus on insurance as a way to protect businesses from fires, theft, illness and liability shocks. Policy timeline (South Africa): National Treasury will decide on Basic Income Support revisions by July, a step toward income support for working-age adults. Regulatory uncertainty warning: A new opinion piece argues regulatory whiplash, not tax rates, is what derails business planning across markets.
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