National Champions for Growth: Côte d’Ivoire is pushing “home-grown” firms to drive its 2030 plan, spotlighting companies like Kaera (natural cosmetics, 600 jobs) and Djamo (online banking/fintech), as stability and investor confidence help scale local brands across West Africa and beyond. Regional Energy Deal: ECOWAS has endorsed the $25bn Nigeria–Morocco Atlantic Gas Pipeline, a 6,000–6,900km project aimed at monetising Nigerian gas and linking to Europe via Morocco and Spain, with construction expected from 2028 after financing and transit rules are agreed. Climate & Cities Risk: West African floods are being intensified by human-driven climate change, while rapid urban expansion into flood-prone areas is worsening damage in places including Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo and Nigeria. Cocoa Supply Pressure: Reports point to abundant Ivory Coast cocoa supplies weighing on global prices, keeping traders focused on how production and export policy shape market swings. Rubber Sector Stress: Liberia’s rubber processors face a major raw-material shortfall, raising the risk of factory closures—an issue that underlines how supply bottlenecks can quickly hit jobs across the region. Sports-to-Business Link: Ivory Coast’s World Cup-linked talent is also showing up in transfer-market chatter, with interest in Ivorian winger Yan Diomande highlighting how performance on the pitch can translate into new commercial opportunities.