Niger IMF Support: Niger is set to receive about $33m from the IMF after a staff-level deal on the ninth ECF review, with the payment pending approval by the Executive Board, as the programme runs through Dec 2026. Structured Finance for Development: NAB Consulting says it has completed a €250m structured finance facility for Niger, co-arranged with Coris Bank Niger and provided by Afreximbank, targeting agriculture, energy, healthcare, infrastructure and SME-focused productive sectors. Regional Trade & Rail: RMB helped close a $1.8bn financing deal for the Kano–Maradi railway, a 374km link meant to boost Nigeria–Niger trade and regional integration. Energy Corridor Watch: Algeria has started work on its section of the Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline, aiming to move Nigerian gas through Niger to Europe via Hassi R’Mel, with the full system estimated at 4,128km and 20–30 bcm/year. Climate-Smart Agriculture: 2,180 people from disability communities across six states and FCT will get training in climate-smart farming, backed by The Leprosy Mission Nigeria and Sweden. Security & Business Risk: Nigeria–US ties deepen with a new security framework expanding US support for operations against armed groups, including cooperation on tracking cross-border financial flows. Policy Shock: Niger criminalised same-sex relations with prison terms up to 20 years, a move likely to affect social climate and investment sentiment.