Disaster Relief for Small Businesses: Michigan’s major disaster declaration was approved after April storms, flooding, and nine tornadoes hit 43 counties, opening the door to FEMA and SBA individual assistance for residents and damaged property. SME Financing Access: Agrobank expanded on-the-ground financing engagement in Sabah, taking RM8M+ in applications from hawkers and micro-entrepreneurs at local markets to support working capital and expansion. Energy Costs for Operators: Malaysia boosted the BUDI Diesel programme for pickup and jeep owners—nearly 200,000 recipients now get 300 litres/month (up from 200), explicitly citing small and medium business use and rural travel needs. Digital Payments & Cash Risk: MTN Ghana’s Mobile Money Fintech highlighted how mobile money helps SMEs cut cash theft/loss and improve record-keeping and accountability. AI for Merchant Growth: South Africa’s Yoco rolled out AI assistance for merchants to answer questions using their own sales data, plus loyalty automation and fee reductions. Local Business Visibility: Nigeria’s Gidira pushes a verified business discovery platform to help SMEs gain credibility online. Skills Pipeline: Nigeria’s FG launched phase two of its TVET programme to train young people for jobs and entrepreneurship. Policy & Markets: India’s finance minister said the middle class will drive 93% of spending by 2036, with growth spreading beyond metros into hundreds of smaller cities.