AGP Executive Report

SME Expo in Saudi: Riyadh is gearing up for IFAC Saudi (1–3 Sept) with a focus on furniture components, semi-finished products, and sourcing—aimed at feeding fast-growing residential, commercial and hospitality fit-out demand. SME Support in Oman: Oman’s second “Empowerment and Excellence” exhibition opened in Dhofar, bringing 50+ SMEs under one roof until 30 Aug, aligned with Oman Vision 2040 and private-sector diversification. Business Pressure in the UK (food & drink): The Food and Drink Federation reports a ninth straight quarter of negative confidence (-31% in Q2 2026), with manufacturers citing rising costs, energy and regulatory burdens, and reduced plans for skills and R&D. UAE Fintech for founders: GenZone launched a unified platform to set up and manage both a UAE company and a US LLC from one account, consolidating compliance and banking status. Oman SME Growth Program: Oman’s NBO launched an SME Growth Program to support the business sector. Morocco SME ranking: Morocco placed 34th in Expothon Worldwide’s 2026 SME Index, highlighting expanding SME support and estimated GDP impact. Dubai telecom push: du rolled out back-to-school offers plus an Agentic AI upskilling push for 10,000 SMEs. UAE Islamic finance: DIB launched an off-plan home finance option that phases payments during construction to ease cashflow for eligible buyers.

SME Finance & Digital Skills (UAE): du Business is rolling out an Agentic AI upskilling push for 10,000 SMEs, aiming to help owners adopt AI to boost efficiency and speed up digital transformation. SME Capital Access (Oman): Oman’s Muscat Stock Exchange signed a deal to improve SME access to the capital market, while the NBO launched an SME Growth Program to support the business sector. SME Support & Governance (Morocco): Morocco ranked 34th in Expothon Worldwide’s 2026 Global SME Index, highlighting expanded government investment aid for very small, small and medium-sized firms. SME Lending & Jobs (Iraq): Experts warn Iraq can’t fix unemployment with government hiring alone; they call for paid training, temporary wage support, and low-interest loans for small businesses alongside business-environment reforms. Business Growth & Housing Finance (UAE): Dubai Islamic Bank launched an off-plan home finance proposition that lets customers pay only the profit component during construction, with full installments starting at handover. Fintech Expansion (UAE): FP Trading secured a UAE Capital Market Authority Category 5 licence to operate onshore for marketing and client introductions.

SME Jobs & Reform in Iraq: Iraq’s unemployment can’t be fixed by government hiring alone, experts say, urging paid training linked to jobs, temporary wage support, and low-interest loans for small businesses instead of relying on the state as the main employer. UAE Financial Licensing: FP Trading says it has secured a Category 5 licence from the UAE Capital Market Authority, letting it market and introduce clients onshore as the country deepens its role as a regional finance hub. Oman SME Capital Access: Muscat Stock Exchange signed a deal aimed at boosting SME access to Oman’s capital market, a move that could widen funding options for smaller firms. Morocco SME Index Caution: A private SME potential ranking puts Morocco 34th, but the publisher admits the numbers are rough AI-assisted estimates and may not match official counts—highlighting how hard it is to compare SME data across the region. Oman e-Invoicing Push: Oman’s phased e-invoicing rollout is positioned as a practical advantage for local business firms, pushing more formal, trackable billing. Oman Watch Business: A new Oman retail concept is spotlighted as a small-business growth story—building a watch trade “one shelf at a time.” Qatar-Egypt Deals: Qatar and Egypt signed agreements on customs, regulation, development and healthcare, including a hospital project in Sohag that could support local services and suppliers.

SME Finance Boost in Oman: National Bank of Oman (NBO) teamed up with Sharakah to run the first workshop of its SME Growth Program in Muscat, focusing on business planning, management skills, and sustainable growth networking. Debt Relief for Small Borrowers in South Korea: Korea’s government plans measures to support vulnerable borrowers as long-term rates rise, including debt restructuring for small business owners and expanded funding for low-income households. Inflation Squeezes UK SMEs: UK business groups say inflation is still hitting margins and hiring, with energy costs tied to Middle East tensions adding pressure on SMEs that can’t rely on price caps. Pakistan Energy Cost Shock for Small Cafes: In Karachi, rising LPG prices are pushing tea cafes back to coal, showing how regional energy disruptions can quickly force small operators to change fuel and pricing. Trade Deals Need Execution in India: India’s FTA push is shifting from signing agreements to helping exporters—especially small businesses—use Certificates of Origin and market access concessions effectively. Saudi Retail Distribution for Health Supplements: Cosmos Health secured an exclusive distribution deal in Saudi Arabia with Innova Healthcare, starting with 126,000 units and targeting 5M+ over five years. Counter-Drone Contract for Middle East Energy Sites: Powerus won a ~$22.3m deal to deploy networked counter-UAS detection and early-warning capabilities for critical oil and gas infrastructure across the region. SME Growth via Capital Market Access in Oman: Muscat Stock Exchange signed a deal aimed at boosting SME access to Oman’s capital market. Digital Commerce for Small Services: FBPostLikes rolled out a website redesign to simplify package discovery and checkout for creators and businesses buying social media growth services. Supply Chain Strain Around Hormuz: Strait of Hormuz diversions fell, but port dwell times remain high, with congestion hitting key hubs in Turkey, India, and Singapore—raising costs for regional traders.

Türkiye AI push: GITEX Ai Türkiye opens in Istanbul next month, aiming to train 10,000 AI specialists, 100,000 AI application professionals and 5 million AI-literate citizens by 2028, with 300+ exhibitors and 100 investors. SME trade enablement: Dubai South Business Hub Free Zone (DSBH) teams up with DHL Express UAE to help SMEs build export readiness via training on customs and shipping plus preferential rates. Saudi health retail deal: Cosmos Health lands an exclusive Saudi distribution agreement with Innova Healthcare for its Sky Premium Life supplements, starting with 126,000 units and targeting 5M+ over five years. Hormuz logistics strain: Diversions through the Strait of Hormuz fall to a 14-week low, but port dwell time spikes—Navi Mumbai hits 25.4 days and Turkey’s gateways also see heavy congestion—raising costs for traders. UAE industrial momentum: Ittihad reports H1 2026 revenue up 16.2% and adjusted EBITDA up 37.4%, with resilience despite Hormuz disruption. Israel defense-tech expansion: Maris-Tech wins a follow-on order from an intelligence customer already running its edge video/AI systems in the field.

SME Finance & Markets: Muscat Stock Exchange and the Oman Academy for Small and Medium Enterprises (Inma) signed an MoU to boost SME investment awareness, training, and access to Omani capital-market opportunities. SME Funding (UAE): NBF and Numou partnered to expand SME financing access in the UAE, aiming to widen credit reach for small firms. Digital Trust for SMEs (UAE): du Business launched an initiative to empower 10,000 SMEs, pushing practical support for growth and capability-building. Cyber Insurance for Small Firms: Munich Re agreed to buy At-Bay for $575m, bringing an SME-focused cyber insurance and managed security platform under Hartford Steam Boiler, with a close expected in Q1 2027. Fintech for Mobility: Kouami Group launched Leniqo, a zero-deposit fintech for car rental that replaces cash security deposits with digital risk management. Wealth Tech for Entrepreneurs (UAE): WiserGates opened a pre-seed round at a $30m valuation to tokenize stakes in small cash-generating businesses, targeting “nano capital” investors. Business Climate (Oman/Region): Thailand’s industrial confidence rose in July, with EV demand and energy-cost relief supporting small enterprises, though Middle East tensions remain a risk.

SME Finance in the UAE: National Bank of Fujairah (NBF) teamed up with Numou to connect UAE SMEs to tailored financing, including working capital, invoice financing and trade finance—aiming to make capital access more “stage-based” as businesses scale. Oman Capital-Market Access: Muscat Stock Exchange (MSX) signed an MoU to boost SME readiness for Oman’s capital market, with training, workshops and joint events on investing and financial planning. Oman Retail Growth: A Ruwi watch shop, 3T – Time To Time, shared how steady reinvestment, in-person servicing and customer loyalty helped it expand its brand range over five years. Cross-Border Payments for Traders: XTransfer said it reached 1 million enterprise clients and highlighted SME-focused cross-border payment upgrades after hosting XTransfer Summit 26 in Shenzhen. Cash-Flow Pressure: A report warned that late payments have hit a six-year high, putting cash-strapped SMEs at higher insolvency risk—especially where working capital is tied up in unpaid invoices. Cyber Insurance Deal: Munich Re agreed to buy Israeli cyber insurtech At-Bay for $575m, positioning the insurer to serve SMEs with managed cyber risk services. Fintech for Mobility: Kouami Group launched Leniqo, a zero-deposit fintech model for car rentals to reduce upfront security-deposit friction for customers. Oman’s Watch Business: 3T’s growth story also underscores how local service models can compete against big retail by keeping customers coming back.

SME AI Upskilling (UAE): du Business launched a free, hands-on Agentic AI training push for 10,000 SMEs across the UAE, aiming to help owners apply AI in real workflows to cut costs and boost customer engagement. Digital Growth Services (Dubai): WebBox opened a Dubai digital growth agency for MENA brands, offering PR distribution, guest posting, SEO/GEO, web design and AI services via a client portal for ordering and tracking. Payments Expansion (Africa): Borderless.xyz said CrissCross is now live on its stablecoin network, adding local collections, payouts, FX and treasury access across multiple African markets through bank and mobile money integrations. Insurance Tech Partnership (Saudi Arabia): Najm and Solera partnered to deploy AI-enabled estimating and Qapter claims tools across Saudi motor insurance, targeting faster and more consistent claims decisions. Cybercrime Enforcement (US, cross-border impact): A new US presidential memo would deputize vetted private firms to support law enforcement against cyber-enabled transnational crime, raising both opportunity and legal risk for operators. UAE Gaming Licensing: Gamingtec secured a UAE gaming-related vendor licence from GCGRA, enabling it to supply tech to licensed operators as the regulated market expands.

SME AI Upskilling (UAE): du Business launched a free, hands-on Agentic AI program for 10,000 SMEs across the UAE, aiming to turn AI awareness into practical adoption for day-one efficiency and competitiveness. E-commerce Growth (UAE): Dubai Chambers signed an MoU with Trendyol to boost SME onboarding and sales, including a 40% commission discount for first three months, ad credits, and training. Digital Finance for SMEs (West Africa): Veefin Solutions and NSIA Group partnered to expand supply chain finance across five West African markets, enabling reverse factoring and factoring so SMEs can access working capital digitally. Payments Expansion (Africa): Borderless.xyz added CrissCross to its stablecoin on/offramp network, extending local collections, payouts, FX and treasury reach via direct bank and mobile money integrations. AI & Sovereignty (Türkiye): Türkiye published its 2026-2030 AI Action Plan, targeting AI literacy for 5 million people and allocating GPU-hours to researchers, startups and small businesses. Robotics Commercial Push (Gulf): Sagtec launched its HALO AI food-serving robot and secured a US$3m order for 1,500 units via its Dubai distributor, supporting wider Middle East deployments. SME-Friendly Lending (Egypt): Exits MENA agreed to fully acquire Avanz Capital Egypt, planning to rebrand it as Exits Manara and launch an export-focused fund for mid-sized exporters.

Open Finance in the UAE: Commercial Bank of Dubai’s CBD says it’s the first UAE bank to let customers initiate payments from other banks’ accounts inside the CBD mobile app, following Central Bank approval under the Open Finance initiative—aimed at making cross-bank payments simpler for everyday users and small firms. Oman SME scrutiny: In Salalah’s Khareef season, “Khareef kiosks” are under scrutiny over who really controls permits—concerns focus on whether permit holders keep effective management and profit risk, or whether expatriate workers run kiosks under arrangements that may sidestep the spirit of licensing. Food safety pressure on small operators: A Cardiff Bay Turkish restaurant, The Sultan, fought an “unfair” food hygiene rating and after reinspection earned a top score again—highlighting how inspection outcomes can quickly strain small family businesses. Medical travel growth: Istanbul’s DentSpa wins Global Healthcare Accreditation for its international patient experience, signaling continued demand for organized, service-led healthcare for overseas patients. Startup expansion via partnerships: Turkey’s Ballipinar Dental Clinic boosts international visibility through a sponsorship tie-up with English club Gillingham, using football branding to attract cross-border patients.

SME Export Push: Oman’s phased e-invoicing rollout is moving from policy to law, with a voluntary pilot starting end-Aug and mandatory secure e-tax invoices from 1 Apr 2027 (OMR5m+ suppliers) and 1 Oct 2027 (below threshold), forcing businesses to update ERP, procurement and supplier workflows. Digital Business Growth: Shufti says it earned a Gartner Magic Quadrant Honorable Mention for identity verification, highlighting in-house document intelligence for 150+ languages—useful for fintech and SMB onboarding across diverse ID systems. Tourism & Services Branding: Turkey’s Ballipinar Dental Clinic is using a UK football club sponsorship to boost international patient visibility, while Istanbul’s DentSpa touts GHA certification for medical travel patient experience. Tech & Investment Signals: Türkiye’s GITEX Ai Türkiye is positioning Istanbul as an AI funding corridor for industrial AI, fintech and enterprise software. Food Tech Expansion: Israel’s Ever After Foods acquired Belgium’s Fishway to broaden cultivated-protein platform capabilities and secured an extra $2m investment. Infrastructure & Jobs: Kandiyohi County Economic Development in the US says it’s now fully staffed, aiming to restart local business support after staffing troubles.

UAE Entrepreneurship: Expat women are building businesses across the Emirates, citing the country’s business-friendly environment, global connectivity and innovation culture as key tailwinds. Oman Digital Compliance: Advintek’s Al Faisal became an Oman Tax Authority approved authorized service provider for Fawtara e-invoicing, aiming to help firms meet Phase 1 compliance ahead of April 2027. Oman SME Procurement: be’ah (MUSCAT) says it directed 23.4% of its 2025 budget to SMEs, awarding RO 4m via contracts and boosting in-country value to 38.4%. Oman Tourism & Local Spend: Dhofar’s Khareef season is being framed as a local-content opportunity, pushing procurement and jobs so tourism value stays in the governorate. Oman Manufacturing Push: Oman’s “Made in Oman” initiative is expanding competitiveness and explicitly backing SMEs with quality upgrades and market access. Egypt Tech Growth: Egypt is positioning itself as a Middle East AI startup hub, backed by a national AI strategy, incentives and smart-city infrastructure. Egypt Women’s Funding: Egypt’s MSME agency reports women-led projects received over EGP 1.3bn in 2025, supporting tens of thousands of initiatives. Israel Business Building: A Jerusalem nonprofit is helping new olim set up businesses, focusing on practical support for early-stage entrepreneurs. Cyber & Payments: Mastercard CEO Michael Miebach highlighted cybersecurity as its fastest-growing business, tying fraud risk to the future of B2B commerce. SME Finance: Suez Canal Bank posted H1 2026 net profit of EGP 3.63bn, with deposits up and lending growth supporting credit demand.

SME Finance & Inclusion (Egypt): Suez Canal Bank reported EGP 3.63bn net profit in H1 2026, with net interest income up 47.4% and deposits rising 14.3%, a sign of steadier funding for credit demand. Women’s Entrepreneurship (Egypt): Egypt’s MSMEDA backed 25,900 women-led projects in 2025 with over EGP 1.3bn, prioritizing micro-enterprises and pairing financing with training and capacity support. E-Invoicing Compliance (Oman): Advintek’s Al Faisal won Oman Tax Authority Approved Authorized Service Provider status, positioning it to help firms meet the Fawtara e-invoicing mandate from April 2027. Local Procurement for SMEs (Oman): be’ah said it directed 23.4% of its 2025 budget to SMEs (RO 4m) and raised its In-Country Value index to 38.4%, backed by digital transformation and local supplier inclusion. Tourism Spend with Local Content (Oman): Khareef Dhofar coverage highlights how visitor spending can be converted into local economic value through procurement from Omani agriculture, fishing and services. Business Support for Newcomers (Israel): MATI Jerusalem continues mentoring new immigrant and underserved entrepreneurs, including women and haredi business owners, with tailored guidance to help firms start and scale. Cross-border Trade (Egypt–Libya): Egypt’s Federation of Egyptian Industries signed a protocol with Benghazi chambers to plan an Egyptian-Libyan Industrial Integration Exhibition in April 2027, aiming for joint ventures and value-chain partnerships. Digital Economy Push (Egypt): Egypt’s AI startup growth is framed as government-led, with a national AI strategy, smart-city infrastructure and incentives meant to help startups test and scale. SME Growth via Loans (Philippines): GCash lending arm Fuse backs MSMEs with accessible loans, aiming to expand financial inclusion at community level.

SME Digital Compliance (Oman): Advintek’s Oman unit Al Faisal was approved by the Oman Tax Authority as an Authorized Service Provider for Fawtara e-invoicing, aiming to help firms meet Phase 1 compliance ahead of an April 2027 rollout. Industrial Integration (Egypt–Libya): Egypt’s Federation of Egyptian Industries and Libya’s chambers signed a protocol to stage an annual Egyptian-Libyan Industrial Integration Exhibition in Benghazi, targeting joint ventures, tech transfer, and value-chain links across sectors like chemicals, engineering, textiles, and food. Banking & MSME Finance (Egypt): Suez Canal Bank reported H1 2026 net profit of EGP 3.63bn and a 47.4% jump in net interest income, with deposit growth and retail funding supporting future credit demand. New Immigrant Business Support (Israel): MATI Jerusalem’s mentoring push backs new entrepreneurs and small businesses, including new immigrants and women, with practical guidance for setting up and scaling in Jerusalem. Diaspora Finance (Somalia–Horn of Africa): Coverage highlights Dahabshiil’s role in remittances that help households and small businesses survive and invest when formal banking access is limited. Local Business Ecosystems (Saudi Expo 2030): Saudi Arabia’s Expo 2030 planning draws lessons from Osaka 2025, stressing procurement discipline and legacy infrastructure that can keep benefiting SMEs after the event. Crypto Access via Banks (Israel): Bank Leumi partnered with Galaxy to bring direct Bitcoin, Ether, and Solana trading through its app from early 2027, potentially widening financial services for small firms and households.

Expo Strategy: Saudi Arabia is studying Osaka 2025 as it gears up for Expo 2030 Riyadh, with a focus on procurement discipline, contingency buffers, and repurposing most build-outs for long-term tourism, real estate, education, and business services. SME Finance: In the Philippines, GCash’s lending arm Fuse is backing MSMEs with a more accessible, digital, interest-free loan product aimed at easing documentary barriers that block traditional credit. Digital Finance in the Region: Israel’s Bank Leumi is partnering with Galaxy to bring Bitcoin, Ether, and Solana trading inside its app from early 2027—an expansion of mainstream crypto access for households and small businesses. Entrepreneur Support in Israel: MATI Jerusalem is helping new immigrant and underserved entrepreneurs launch and grow businesses through tailored mentoring and city-linked support networks. Diaspora Remittances: A Somalia-focused report highlights Dahabshiil’s role in sustaining households and small businesses via cross-border remittances after the collapse of formal banking. Policy & Risk: Iran-linked conflict is pushing up borrowing costs for small businesses, adding pressure to already tight operating margins.

SME Finance Access: GCash’s lending arm Fuse backs MSMEs with more accessible digital working-capital loans via GLoan Negosyo, aiming to cut the paperwork barrier that keeps many small firms out of formal credit. Banking & Digital Assets: Israel’s Bank Leumi is partnering with Galaxy to let customers trade Bitcoin, Ether and Solana inside its Leumi Trade app from early 2027—an SMB-relevant shift as banks broaden services beyond traditional accounts. Entrepreneurship Support in Israel: Jerusalem nonprofit MATI helps new immigrants and underserved entrepreneurs launch and grow businesses through tailored mentoring and city-linked programs. Diaspora Money Flows: Dahabshiil’s role in Somali diaspora finance is highlighted as remittances keep households afloat and can seed small business investment where banking access is limited. Tech & Startup Push (Türkiye): Türkiye’s fast-growing ICT and AI push—backed by major data centre and AI investment plans and large-scale talent training—signals more opportunity for local tech SMEs. SME Cost Pressure (Canada): Canada’s end of a federal gas/diesel fuel excise tax break is set to raise operating costs for small businesses, with restaurant owners warning about shipping and supply-price knock-ons.