The smartest businesses in 2026 will not be built on hype. They will be built on friction. That matters right now because the macro picture is mixed: African growth is still moving, but uncertainty in global trade, tariffs and commodity prices is forcing founders to think more carefully about resilience, margins and regional demand. Reuters, citing the African Development Bank, reported the bank cut Africa’s 2025 and 2026 growth forecasts amid tariff-related uncertainty.