BPO Growth Push: Nelson Mandela Bay is being pitched as a new growth centre for South Africa’s business process outsourcing sector, with investors and BPESA pointing to affordable property, lower congestion and better quality of life to attract and keep talent. Energy Cost Shock: An energy crisis is driving a surge in solar panel imports, with 15 African countries topping $400m in solar imports in Q1 2026 as households and businesses look for reliability. Trade Finance Gap: PAC Research says Africa’s $100bn trade finance shortfall can be narrowed through financial architecture upgrades plus digital innovation and regulatory reforms, including factoring and supply-chain finance. Health Tech & Genomics: Namibia is building local DNA sequencing capacity after NUST installed a high-throughput genome sequencing platform, cutting reliance on overseas labs and speeding up research and healthcare work. AI in Education: Wits hosted a roundtable on ethical AI adoption in African classrooms, focusing on governance and inclusive outcomes ahead of South Africa’s Women’s Day. Local Tech & Fraud: The Insurance Crime Bureau warns organised insurance fraud is getting more sophisticated, and says shared intelligence and AI are key to disrupting criminal networks. Science Breakthrough: A study in Nature reports the world’s deepest and largest whale graveyard in the Indian Ocean, mapping millions of years of whale falls and fossil remains. Governance & Records: A Johannesburg court challenge seeks release of Metro Centre engineering and safety reports, after claims that closure left irreplaceable planning records dumped and unmonitored underground. University Integrity: Cambridge launched an investigation into allegations around former professor Jason Arday’s qualifications and honorary appointments, after he resigned.