Urban Climate Action: Nairobi kicked off the 2026 Innovate4Cities conference with community street-art murals, pushing a “cities by residents” message ahead of global climate talks. Water & Power Security: A new Haleon Kenya–Upper Tana–Nairobi Water Fund partnership backs upstream farm conservation to protect the watershed that supplies nearly 95% of Nairobi’s water and about half of Kenya’s hydropower. Energy Diplomacy: Experts say China-Africa energy cooperation is becoming a hedge against Gulf-driven fuel shocks and wider geopolitical volatility. South Africa LNG Push: Zululand Energy Terminal advanced plans for the country’s first LNG import terminal at Richards Bay, with early talks involving ExxonMobil and Eskom to support gas-to-power supply. Nigeria Gas Industrialisation: Nigeria’s energy reforms are being framed around gas as the “development fuel” for power, fertiliser and manufacturing, alongside higher metering and investor confidence claims. Regional Renewables Finance: ECOWAS Parliament adopted a renewable energy roadmap to accelerate rural electrification, while EBID welcomed AfDB as a shareholder to expand renewable-focused lending. Oil Route Diversification: Iraq is preparing to expand crude and naphtha exports via Syrian ports as Hormuz disruptions reshape Gulf shipping routes. Climate Risk for Food: New reporting warns “super El Niño” could hit global agriculture hard, with major knock-on risks for rainfed farmers across Africa. Governance & Resources: Tunisia’s tax police opened investigations into suspected price manipulation in the salt sector, targeting operators over alleged losses.