Sovereign Credit Ratings Push: The AfDB says it will launch an initiative to help African countries improve sovereign credit ratings by strengthening economic data and transparency, aiming to cut borrowing costs as only three of 54 countries have investment-grade ratings. ECOWAS Trade for Citizens: Ghana’s deputy foreign minister urged businesses to tap the ECOWAS market of 300m people, launching a campaign to make trade rules and free-movement protocols easier for traders and entrepreneurs. Lamu Refinery Transparency Demand: Kenya’s Thirdway Alliance leader Ekuru Aukot asked the Attorney-General to disclose the full contract on the Dangote East Africa refinery in Lamu, citing constitutional access-to-information rights. Tanzania Jobs Focus: World Bank experts told Tanzania to prioritize productive, formal jobs over just job numbers, linking the challenge to business productivity and growth. Tanzania–Italy Investment Drive: Tanzania is seeking deeper Italian investment beyond sales—pushing production, processing, and value addition in areas like agro-processing, renewables and digital tech. Banking Expansion: Namibia’s central bank granted Access Bank Namibia a licence, adding a new player to a N$200bn banking sector. Fuel Pressure in South Africa: Record petrol prices are expected to cross R30 a litre, with diesel also set for increases, as government reviews final pricing. Airtel Money IPO: Airtel Money’s IPO begins with an offer price set at £1.96, valuing the business at £5.3bn as it targets a London listing. Nigeria Private Sector Rebounds: Stanbic IBTC’s PMI rose to 56.4 in September, the strongest improvement in over four years, driven by new orders and business activity.