GOOD MORNING CHOP FAMILY!
World Cup action is in full swing, and we are here for it! So let’s get caught up on the latest news from the continent and hit Monday in the mouth before it hits back!
Here’s what’s on the menu:
Oil Prices falling, Peace in the Middle East, World Cup action and more! The deal reportedly will
"The river fills with water, but it is the small streams that bring it."
Trump claims that he has reached an agreement with Iran for peace in the Middle East. Should we believe it? Well it appears that the oil markets believe, since prices took steep dive on hearing the news.
open the Straits of Hormuz, Iran will get access to its frozen assets, and Israel will stop bombing Lebanon. Let’s hope this sticks, so I don’t have to carpool to save on gas money anymore!
Oil Just Did the Thing It Hasn't Done All Year: Gotten Cheaper
For months, the story has been the same: the US-Iran conflict closes shipping routes, oil spikes, African fuel importers absorb the cost. This week, for the first time since the war began, that pattern reversed. Brent crude dropped more than 4% on Friday to below $86.50, its lowest level since early March, down sharply from highs above $100 earlier in the conflict.
The reason: News of a deal between the US and Iran that seems promising. Trump delayed planned military strikes and warning the US could target Iran's oil infrastructure if talks failed.
Iran's semi-official Fars news agency reported Tehran was likely to accept an agreement, though no final text had been approved. Pakistan's Prime Minister, acting as an intermediary, said a final text had been reached, a claim Iran's foreign minister described more cautiously as "closer than ever."
So the upside of a secured deal means that oil prices will continue to fall, although the effects may not be immediately felt. But the optimism is real and contagious. It will serve as a stimulant and a confidence boosters for consumers and producers alike.
African Startup Funding Just Doubled in a Month. Here's Who Got the Money.
April was grim. May was not. According to Nairametrics, Africa's top 10 funded startups secured a combined $242.6 million in May 2026, which was 93.4% of the $259.8 million raised by 43 startups during the month. Total capital raised more than doubled from April's $110.4 million, a 133.5% month-on-month increase. Deal count rose too, from 35 transactions in April to 43 in May.
The shape of the recovery tells its own story. Innovation Village's breakdown shows fintech leading again. Tanzania-linked remittance company Nala raised $50 million, nearly a third of one tracker's total for the month.
Mobility was the second-biggest category at $29.4 million across three deals (RemotePass, MAX, ARRW), reflecting a broader shift from pure transport into workforce mobility and logistics.
Power and infrastructure also performed strongly: Kenya's Anzana Electric Group raised $20 million, and South Africa's Bisedge Logistics & Infrastructure raised another $20 million.
Quick Bites
The Platform Shift: On the sidelines of global summits, the African Development Bank Group is picking up major steam for its Integrated Aviation Transformation Program (IATP), using innovative de-risking guarantees to rebuild regional air cargo pipelines.
The Trans-Saharan Link: Algeria has officially kicked off construction on its section of the highly anticipated Trans-Saharan Gas Pipeline, aiming to link Sub-Saharan gas directly to European markets.
Dish of the Day 🥘
Garba
Since we witnessed Cote D’Ivoire win their match, we decided to indulge in a local favorite - Garba. This is the undisputed king of all street foods in the country. It is dish featuring attiéké (a fluffy, fermented cassava semolina couscous) piled with chunks of fried tuna and diced fresh tomatoes, onions, and hot chili peppers. Wow! I had two orders.
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