Youth-to-work & skills gap: Namibia’s Unam summit warned universities risk producing graduates for unemployment, urging more TVET and skills-based learning. SME financing spotlight: Co-operative Bank of Kenya was named SME Bank of the Year at the African Banker Awards, underlining continued SME lending and financial inclusion. South Africa jobs & business climate: UNDP urged Africa to move beyond pilot projects and scale proven development models that build valued enterprises, not just jobs. Inflation pressure: South Africa’s Reserve Bank signalled a tough high-inflation, low-growth outlook after a 7% repo rate hike, with scenarios tied to geopolitics, El Niño and food/fuel shocks. Corporate restructuring & employment risk: South Africa’s business rescue success rates are rising, but distress remains concentrated, especially in Gauteng. Township retail capital pull: Township retail is drawing more investment as cash-based local spending boosts trading densities and feeds formal retail. Governance & corruption: Eskom escalated its fight against fraud and corruption by bringing in external forensic investigators to clear a backlog. Social risk—gambling: South Africa’s gambling revenue hit a record R75bn, while more online punters say they’re betting more due to tight money, raising responsible-gambling concerns. Regional trade push: ECOWAS moved to operationalise the ECOWAS Business Council to deepen integration and spur private-sector-led trade and jobs. Xenophobia and labour tensions: South Africa’s anti-foreigner violence continues to drive repatriations, with Ghanaian returnees arriving amid renewed safety fears.