AGP Executive Report

Humanitarian & SME capacity-building: Kuwait-backed medical missions expanded across Africa, including a Tanzania pediatric heart campaign that treated 100 children and trained local doctors and nurses, highlighting a model that blends relief with skills transfer. Refugee entrepreneurship in the spotlight: London’s Borough Market is teaming up with TERN for a week-long pop-up starting 6 Oct, giving eight refugee-owned food businesses a prime retail platform and customer reach. Energy costs hitting small firms: U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the Trump decision to confront Iran was made knowing it would raise short-term energy prices—an issue that matters for SME operating costs across the region. Regional trade & investment for growth: NEPAD leaders agreed to set up the Alamein Investment Platform by Feb 2027 and a continent-wide SME facility by mid-2027 to plug AUDA-NEPAD funding gaps. Oman business networking & AI real estate: AmCham Oman’s “Back to Business” event drew 200+ leaders, with sponsor O Homes unveiling an AI-driven platform aimed at opening Oman’s property market to international investors. Tech startup push in Egypt: Techne Summit Alexandria 2026 opened with a focus on how AI can help startups and small businesses compete—while raising the bar for differentiation.

Africa SME Finance: AUDA-NEPAD’s founding states agreed to set up the Alamein Investment Platform by Feb 2027 and a continent-wide SME facility by mid-2027, aiming to plug funding gaps as member contributions decline. Trade & Local Value: Oman’s push for local content is framed as a way to turn big industrial investments into local supply chains, jobs, and SME growth aligned with Vision 2040. Oman Business Networking: AmCham Oman’s “Back to Business” event drew 200+ leaders, with sponsor O Homes unveiling an AI-driven real estate platform aimed at opening up verified property options for international investors. Egypt Startup Support: Techne Summit Alexandria 2026 highlighted how AI is lowering barriers for Egyptian startups, while raising the bar on differentiation and sustainable value. UAE Brand Expansion: FREELANDER (Chery/JLR) launched in Abu Dhabi and outlined a Middle East-first rollout, starting with UAE dealer partnerships and interest registration for FREELANDER 8. Mozambique SME Growth: Nedbank Mozambique argues SMEs are key to diversification and growth, citing examples like Merec’s milling expansion and broader push to professionalize and scale local businesses.

SME Networking & AI Real Estate in Oman: AmCham Oman’s “Back to Business” drew 180+ executives, with sponsor O Homes debuting an AI-driven platform aimed at opening Oman’s property market to international investors. Local Supply Chains & Jobs: A policy piece on Oman Vision 2040 argues local content in industry should build domestic capability, create quality jobs, and keep more value in-country—not just attract factories. Tech Startups in Egypt: ITIDA highlighted how AI is raising the bar for Egyptian startups, pushing them to differentiate beyond tech with real sector value. Middle East Auto Brand Expansion: FREELANDER (JLR/Chery) launched in Abu Dhabi and outlined a phased Middle East-first rollout, including dealer network development and UAE interest registration. SME Growth Focus in Mozambique: Nedbank Mozambique points to SMEs as a diversification lever, spotlighting family-run manufacturers expanding despite debt and foreign currency pressures. Home-based Micro Food Businesses: In Sydney, home-kitchen entrepreneurs are scaling niche cultural foods via Instagram, driven by nostalgia and community demand.

SME Networking in Oman: AmCham Oman’s “Back to Business” in Muscat drew 200+ executives and diplomats, with O Homes debuting an AI-driven real estate platform aimed at bringing verified property deals to international investors. Auto Brand Expansion (UAE): Chery’s FREELANDER launched its global brand chapter in Abu Dhabi, unveiling the LHD FREELANDER 8 and outlining a phased Middle East-first rollout via UAE dealer partners, with registration of interest now open. Fuel Cost Pressure on Operators: Diesel price spikes tied to Iran-war supply shocks are crushing owner-operator truckers, with some turning to crowdfunding or parking rigs as fill-ups hit $1,000-plus. SME Growth Focus (Mozambique): Nedbank Mozambique highlights SMEs as a growth lever for diversification, pointing to local manufacturers like Merec expanding milling and food production. Crypto/Speculation Watch: UAE-based Pepeto’s presale pushes toward a Binance listing as wallet counts and token-sale stages accelerate, underscoring how fast capital can chase new plays. SME Credit & Fintech (UAE): Abhi and NymCard partner to support SME credit in the UAE, aiming to expand access for lenders and borrowers.

SME-Led Growth Focus: Mozambique’s Nedbank says the country’s diversification push should lean on SMEs, citing examples like Merec’s industrial breadmaking expansion in Beira as larger firms widen regional footprints. Gulf Capital & SME Development: ADFIAP 49 in Colombo highlighted Gulf-linked financing for infrastructure, climate finance, digital transformation for SMEs, and social inclusion—framing regional partnerships as a growth engine. UAE Industrial Push: ALIF Holding broke ground on Phase I of an Umm Al Quwain industrial park aimed at local engineering and manufacturing, with early projects in oil-spill detection, water-quality verification, and AI-enabled monitoring. Women-Led Tech Funding: Standard Chartered Foundation’s Women in Tech Accelerator in Nigeria awarded $50,000 to five finalists, backing scalable ventures with mentorship and grants. Payments for Cross-Border Sellers: Payoneer renewed its Etsy partnership through 2029, supporting small merchants across Asia, Europe, South America and the Middle East with cross-border payouts. SME Credit in the UAE: Abhi and NymCard partnered to streamline SME credit solutions for UAE financial institutions, targeting faster, more accessible lending. Energy Cost Pressure: Diesel price spikes tied to Middle East conflict are squeezing transport and small operators, with independent businesses warning fuel costs are threatening margins and continuity.

SME Finance & Payments: Payoneer renewed its Etsy partnership through 2029, keeping cross-border payouts available for Etsy sellers in 16 markets across Asia, Europe, South America and the Middle East—aimed at reducing friction and cost for small merchants selling internationally. SME Lending & Tokenisation: DIFC-based WiserGates kicked off a pre-seed round at a US$30m valuation, pitching “nano capital” to let everyday investors take fractional stakes in small cash-generating businesses, with a focus on financial education and SME access to global funding. Digital Hiring for MENA: Workable launched native WhatsApp integration, letting recruiters message candidates directly from within the platform—targeting markets including the Middle East and North Africa where WhatsApp is a primary channel. Entrepreneurship & Jobs (Kurdistan): Three unemployed ag graduates in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region opened the first vermicompost plant in the region, using red earthworms to turn local waste into bio-fertilisers to tackle soil salinity and support farm livelihoods. Agri-Trade Deal: StoneX agreed to acquire Colombia coffee trader Integra, adding certified origination and processing capacity—an example of how commodity supply chains are consolidating to serve global buyers. AI Adoption (Türkiye): TÜİK reported AI use among individuals and enterprises in Türkiye doubled in 2026, with firms using AI mainly for marketing and sales, while small businesses lag larger firms. Business Cost Pressure (Context): Rising diesel prices tied to Middle East conflict are squeezing motorists and small businesses, with UK pump prices hitting record levels.

SME Finance & Regulation: Bank of Ghana is reviewing non-interest banking license applications from two commercial banks, signaling growing demand for alternative models that could widen SME access to finance. Payments & Merchant Tech: Nayax completed its $350m acquisition of IPS Group, combining smart parking payments with EV charging—an expansion that could boost cashless curbside commerce for operators and local businesses. SME Growth & Capital Markets: Egypt’s EGX market cap topped EGP 4.3tn with average daily trading near EGP 10bn, as the exchange pushes short-selling, futures and options to deepen liquidity. Business Enablement in the Region: Mastercard says EEMEA SMEs are prioritizing growth, new technologies and cyberthreat protection, while Bahrain’s Fintech Forward 2026 agenda spotlights SME finance and asset tokenisation. Entrepreneurship Spotlight: A piece on women entrepreneurs in Palestine highlights how craft businesses are turning handmade work into export-ready opportunity. Deal Watch: FREELANDER mapped a Middle East-first international rollout from the UAE via dealer partnerships, aiming to scale sales and service across MENA.

SME Finance & Policy: Bank of Ghana is reviewing non-interest banking license applications for two commercial banks, signaling momentum for alternative models that could widen SME access to finance. Women Entrepreneurship: Bethlehem’s Nisaa Al-Shams Association launched an online marketplace to help women entrepreneurs sell beyond local markets, with chamber and governorate partners backing product promotion. Halal Trade: Tunisia’s halal market is still underdeveloped, but the International Halal Forum in Tunis highlighted export opportunities in agri-food, olive oil, seafood, tourism and financial services, alongside calls for stronger certification and a higher halal council. AI for Business Skills: e& Egypt and Intel are rolling out an “AI for Citizens” literacy program in Arabic and English, explicitly including small business owners. SME Digital Payments: Mastercard says EEMEA SMEs are prioritizing growth, new technologies, and cyberthreat protection, while also pointing to rising adoption of AI and digital payments. GCC SME Credit: Abhi and NymCard expanded UAE SME credit support, aiming to streamline lending for financial institutions. Local Business Resilience: South Lebanon’s residents are adapting to shrinking livelihood options amid ongoing disruption, with agriculture and fishing hit hardest.

Energy Cost Relief for Industry: The UK launched applications for the British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme (Bics), aiming to cut electricity bills by up to 25% for 10,000+ manufacturers from April 2027, with firms urged to apply by Nov 30. Digital Education for SMEs’ Ecosystem: Orange Jordan and the Orange Foundation visited a Zarqa school benefiting from the “Digital Schools” program, which has equipped 10 public schools with tablets and learning tech for 3,100+ students. Private-Sector Jobs Push in Bahrain: Tamkeen reported the Musanada Program supports 7,250 enterprises and helped stabilize jobs for 11,400+ Bahraini employees, with micro and small enterprises making up 92% of beneficiaries. SME Finance in the GCC: Mastercard’s Dreamonomics report says 68% of SMEs prioritize stability over fast growth, and it’s rolling out a business card benefits package focused on productivity and cyber risk. Omani Tender Access: Oman’s Ministry of Finance circular directs authorities to award certain specialized work/services up to RO 5,000 to self-employed Omani nationals, easing barriers to government tenders.

UAE SME Finance: Abhi and NymCard teamed up to streamline SME credit in the UAE, combining Abhi’s earned wage access and fintech tools with NymCard’s payments infrastructure to speed up onboarding, decisioning and disbursement for lenders. GCC Startup Funding: Saudi fintech erad secured a $22m Series A led by MEVP to expand SME financing across the GCC. UAE Business Support: Emirates and Dubai Chambers partnered to back global growth of SMEs, while UAE Tax Authority reminded businesses of the Sept. 30 corporate tax filing deadline. Regional Trade & Industry: Armenia and Iran discussed deeper cooperation via industrial settlements after a visit to Iran’s Shamsabad Industrial Zone. Energy Cost Pressure (South Africa): Cosatu urged parliament to urgently pass a R10bn fuel price relief bill to cushion workers and commuters from oil shocks tied to Persian Gulf disruptions. Cyber & Payments for SMEs: Mastercard research says EEMEA SMEs are prioritizing AI, growth, cybersecurity and digital payments; Legit Security expanded agentic remediation to fix open-source dependency vulnerabilities. Business Growth Signals: Phocas launched inaugural Partner Awards across EMEA for distribution and manufacturing partners driving customer value.

SME Finance in Egypt: Egypt’s central bank says bank financing to small enterprises hit about EGP 301bn, while microenterprise financing tops EGP 107bn, underscoring how MSMEs remain a jobs engine. Fuel Fraud Crackdown: Nigeria’s midstream regulator NMDPRA is stepping up enforcement against fuel under-dispensing, ordering dispenser calibration and threatening licence action—an issue that hits both households and small operators hard amid high pump prices. Cross-Border Trade & Corridors: Pakistan’s planning minister Ahsan Iqbal urged turning CAREC routes into “next-generation economic corridors,” linking upgraded roads, border facilities, rail freight and dry ports with logistics hubs and a digital corridor to help businesses trade profitably. Payments for SMEs: Mastercard launched AI-powered supplier payment analytics for accounts payable, with early adopters including Absa and UAE’s Emirates NBD, aiming to make working capital more efficient for corporates and smaller businesses. SME Value-Chain Support (West Africa): UN ECA convened West African SMEs and business support groups to strengthen rice value chains, tackling gaps in finance, processing capacity and cross-border market links. Business Cost Pressure: With diesel and energy costs elevated by Middle East conflict, consumer confidence in the US fell to a near 12.5-year low—another reminder of how volatility feeds into hiring and spending for small firms.

SME Finance & Growth (GCC): Emirates and Dubai Chambers teamed up to support global growth of SMEs, while Mastercard’s latest findings show Saudi SMEs are still pushing for growth and EEMEA SMEs are prioritising AI, growth and cybersecurity. SME Lending (UAE): Pakistani fintech Abhi expanded its UAE footprint via a partnership with NymCard to streamline SME credit solutions for UAE financial institutions. GCC Startup Funding: erad secured a $22m Series A led by MEVP to accelerate SME financing across the GCC. Payments & Merchant Tools (Middle East): Bank NXT signed an EGP 2.1bn credit facility with Ezz Elarab Elsewedy for automotive expansion; and Getnet and Nayax announced a partnership to boost cashless payments for unattended retail and self-service businesses across Latin America and Iberia. Business Costs & Regulation: Card surcharge bans kick in tomorrow in Australia, a reminder of how payment rules can quickly reshape merchant margins. Cyber & AI Risk for SMEs: Delinea found 87% of organisations say AI tools accessed sensitive data beyond scope, and 76% of employees admit bypassing AI approval steps.

SME Growth & Trade: Emirates and Dubai Chambers signed an MoU to help Dubai SMEs expand internationally, with Emirates SkyCargo and Emirates Courier Express offering logistics and express door-to-door options, plus Emirates Business Rewards incentives. SME Finance (GCC): UAE Tax Authority reminded businesses that 30 September 2026 is the corporate tax filing and payment deadline for the 2025 financial year. SME Digital Payments: Mastercard’s Dreamonomics-style reporting highlights EEMEA SMEs pushing growth alongside cybersecurity, AI and digital payments, while a separate UAE-focused note says 14% of UAE SMEs accept crypto payments. SME Lending (GCC): Saudi fintech erad raised $22m Series A led by MEVP to accelerate SME financing across the GCC. SME Contracting (Oman): Omani exporters were urged to target US suppliers already on GSA schedules and to map the “right route” into federal tenders. SME Support (Iraq): A new Iraq small business support fund aims to improve loan access.

SME Trade & Logistics: Emirates and Dubai Chambers signed an MoU to help Dubai SMEs expand internationally, using Emirates SkyCargo and Emirates Courier Express plus Emirates Business Rewards. SME Finance (GCC): erad raised $22m Series A led by MEVP to speed Shariah-compliant working-capital financing for Saudi and UAE SMEs, with AI approvals in about 48 hours. SME Decarbonisation: Schneider Electric expanded its Decarbonization Champion Program with Greenly, giving SME partners carbon measurement tools and consultancy to cut emissions and costs. UAE Corporate Compliance: UAE Tax Authority set a Sept 30 deadline for corporate tax filings, a key compliance date for growing businesses. Tender/Procurement: An Abu Dhabi tender seeks 15 ICACs across the emirates, with bid security set and micro/small enterprises exempt from registration requirements. Energy Services Demand: OMS Energy Technologies won $7.1m via competitive tender from Saudi Aramco for specialty connectors and pipes, with deliveries expected in Jan 2027. Startup/Scale-Up: Keeta marked its UAE first anniversary, citing nationwide merchant and delivery-partner growth since launching in Sept 2025.

UAE Banking Oversight: The UBF council reaffirmed the resilience of the UAE banking sector, citing strong capital and provisioning, and flagged priorities like Emiratisation, digital transformation, SME growth and sustainable finance. Kuwait Procurement Reform: Kuwait issued Decree-Law No. 94/2026 amending public tenders, raising contract thresholds (including KD1m for simpler approvals), boosting SME bid preference (10% above lowest acceptable), and setting a faster grievance committee process. Oman Zakat Push: Oman kicked off its 4th Zakat Conference and Exhibition in Suhar and Sohar, launching a “Zakat Institutions Readiness Index” and focusing on turning zakat governance into measurable sustainability outcomes. Egypt SME Financing: Egypt’s finance minister said EGP 80bn is earmarked in the 2026/27 budget to support production, exports and entrepreneurship, with concessional financing routed via MSMEDA and a simplified tax system for small businesses. Qatar-Syria Skills for Jobs: Qatar Charity launched a $1mn+ project to train 540 women and men in northwestern Syria, linking vocational and digital skills (tailoring, solar, maintenance, marketing) to small-business opportunities. Corporate Tax Deadline (UAE): The UAE Federal Tax Authority reminded taxable persons to file and pay Corporate Tax for periods ending 31 Dec 2025 by 30 Sept 2026 via EmaraTax. Cross-border Dealmaking (Qatar): Qatar Chamber joined the Azerbaijan International Investment Forum and held talks on expanding trade and investment in agriculture, industry and banking.

Fuel shock hits SMEs: A diesel shortage tied to wars is pushing UK forecourt prices toward record levels, squeezing drivers, haulage and small traders as higher fuel costs flow into goods and inflation. Energy bills crush operators: In rural France, small bakers say heating-oil prices have jumped sharply since the Iran-war start, forcing painful margin losses and price increases. UAE tax deadline: The UAE Federal Tax Authority reminded Corporate Tax filers (including those eligible for Small Business Relief) that returns and any due payment for the 31 Dec 2025 tax period must be submitted by 30 Sep 2026 via EmaraTax, with proper records needed to avoid penalties. Kuwait procurement reform: Kuwait issued amendments to its public tenders law, raising thresholds for approvals, setting SME bid preferences (within 10% of the lowest acceptable bid), and creating a grievance committee with 30-day decisions. Qatar-U.S. business ties: Qatar Financial Centre and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce signed an MoU to boost cross-border investment in fintech, digital assets and enterprise tech. SME digitalisation in Egypt: Egypt’s Industrial Modernisation Center signed with Corporate Stack Solutions to help industrial SMEs adopt ERP and digital tools via local SaaS subscriptions. Skills for jobs in Syria: Qatar Charity launched a $1mn+ program training 540 women and men in northwestern Syria, linking them to employment and small-business opportunities. Qatar Chamber expands regional links: Qatar Chamber met Azerbaijani counterparts at the Azerbaijan International Investment Forum to explore trade and investment in agriculture, industry and banking.