Budget & Execution: Bank of Africa Tanzania backed the Sh62.3tn 2026/27 budget, pointing to digital payments and SME support, while MPs pushed for tighter fiscal discipline, stronger domestic revenue and a legal framework to recover unclaimed assets to boost implementation. Tax Administration: South Africa’s SARS set 2026 tax filing dates, with auto-assessments from 1 July and standard submissions opening 13 July, using third-party data to reduce manual filing. Gold Processing Push: Zimbabwe licensed a second gold refinery in Bulawayo to handle rising output, targeting 50 tonnes in 2026 and commissioning next year. Payments & Fintech: Ripple backed Flutterwave in a Series E at a $3.2bn valuation, aiming to expand stablecoin payments across Africa. Energy & Industry: Farasis Energy partnered with WLF Energy to accelerate AI-driven energy storage commercialization, targeting utility-scale and grid stabilization projects. Trade & Blue Economy: Fifteen countries adopted the Mombasa declaration to curb illegal fishing by improving vessel data, licensing transparency and enforcement. Macroeconomic Risk: Namibia lifted its repo rate to 6.75% to contain inflation and protect its rand peg. AI Skills for Youth: Lesotho launched an AI Skills Development Programme for youth enterprises, combining e-commerce and AI tools under the Sebabatso ecosystem.