Electricity & Power Sector: Nigeria’s electricity subsidy bill hit N1.928trn in 2025, with tariff freezes keeping end-user rates below cost-reflective levels, according to NERC—highlighting mounting fiscal pressure as unpaid/under-recovered power costs grow. Transport & Cost of Living: In Sierra Leone, transport prices fell 2.94% month-on-month in July 2026 and annual transport inflation eased to 37.04%, even as transport remains a major driver of overall inflation due to its weight in the CPI basket. Tax & Business Compliance: Sierra Leone’s NRA began rolling out Smart GST machines to 10,000 GST-registered businesses, aiming to improve electronic transaction records, compliance, and reduce revenue leakages. Markets & Trade: Freetown’s Sewa Ground Market is fully occupied (100%) ahead of its Sept 1 opening, after a 50% rental price cut to help traders move off the streets. Gender & Agriculture: Sierra Leone’s MoGCA and MAFS signed an MoU to integrate gender equality and GBV safeguarding into food system resilience work, targeting barriers faced by women in agriculture and food production. Maritime Skills: IMO and Ghana’s maritime authority launched a regional training push to strengthen seafarer certification assessment standards across West Africa. Environment & Livelihoods: UNDP signed US$511,000 grants with 12 CSOs for biodiversity, climate resilience, renewable energy and sustainable livelihoods, running Sept 1, 2026–July 31, 2027.