M&A Watch: South Africa’s Gold Fields has approached Australia’s Northern Star Resources for a takeover, but Northern Star rebuffed the overtures, setting up a high-stakes next move as gold prices spur dealmaking. Corporate Pay & Performance: South African tycoon Marcel Golding’s pay jumped fivefold even as AOE profit fell 72%, highlighting pressure on governance as investors watch earnings quality. Banking & Credit: Ecobank plans a $2.6bn loan portfolio by 2030 for women-led businesses and agribusiness SMEs, pairing lending with training and digital tools. Policy & Markets: Kenya’s CBK reports foreign bank representative offices saw a 15.8% drop in 2025 transaction values to Sh210.9bn, citing weaker cross-border payments and project finance. Energy & Industry: Kenya’s Ruto toured Dangote’s 700,000 bpd refinery, calling it a “masterpiece,” and reiterated plans for a $17bn East African refinery in Lamu. Trade & Integration: AfCFTA’s Wamkele Mene says removing barriers to cross-border payments, customs and infrastructure could cut Africa’s currency-conversion costs by about Sh647.3bn a year. Public Finance: Senegal’s 2026 budget revision slashes growth to 2.7% and cuts investment spending by 555bn FCFA after a 451.4bn FCFA revenue shortfall. Development Finance: AfDB and partners launched free AI training for African public servants, aiming to improve AI use in government procurement and service delivery. Food Security: UN/FAO warns El Niño response plans face major funding gaps in the Horn of Africa.