World Cup & Media Buzz: Ivory Coast kicked off its 2026 World Cup campaign with a 1-0 win over Ecuador as Amad Diallo scored late, while fans and broadcasters across Africa and the diaspora keep driving attention through streams, fan fests and viral moments like “Merlin the World Cup duck.” Digital & Telecom Growth: Nigeria’s IXPN and TeleAfrica pushed BGP peering and highlighted a major local hosting deficit (only 22% of top sites hosted in-country), aiming for a more sovereign, faster internet. Branding & Marketing: Dettol Nigeria and Wellbeing Foundation Africa launched Hygiene Quest Phase 3, targeting 800,000 students and mothers with school handwashing education. Regulation & Trust in Tech: Zimbabwe introduced its first crypto rules for virtual asset service providers—annual FIU registration with a $500 fee, with unregistered activity now criminal. Energy, Shipping & Comms: The Strait of Hormuz reopening after a US-Iran truce is expected to ease oil supply risks and freight costs, with knock-on effects for energy markets and regional messaging. Security & Social Impact: Nigeria saw renewed militant violence near the Niger border, while a Nigerian paediatrician used social media to counter child-health misinformation and connect parents to trusted experts.