MBABANE – Eswatini is taking a page from Nigeria’s industrialisation playbook by studying how Africa’s most populous nation has successfully developed and managed its Special Economic Zones (SEZs).
The Minister for Commerce, Industry and Trade, Manqoba Khumalo, led a high-powered delegation to Nigeria last week, for a benchmarking visit to the Lekki Free Trade Zone, one of the continent’s most successful industrial zones and a symbol of public–private partnership at its best.
Lekki Free Trade Zone is a collaboration between the Lagos State Government and a Chinese consortium, featuring infrastructure like a deep-sea port and a power plant to support industries like manufacturing, technology and logistics.
The zone aims to boost Nigeria’s economy, create jobs and improve trade in West Africa. The zone is integrated with the Lagos Free Zone, which is home to over 50 enterprises and generates significant revenue.
The delegation, which included Members of Parliament from the Ministry’s House of Assembly Portfolio Committee and senior officials from the Department of Industries, sought to learn best practices in the development, regulation and management of industrial free zones – critical drivers of investment, employment and export growth. Hosting the Eswatini team was Kellogg Tolaram, a multinational conglomerate and one of Nigeria’s largest private employers, with a workforce exceeding 20 000 people across its various manufacturing and distribution facilities.
Minister Khumalo described the visit as a valuable opportunity to gain practical insight into how well-run Special Economic Zones can transform a nation’s industrial landscape.
“The Lekki Free Trade Zone demonstrates what is possible when government and the private sector work hand in hand to create an enabling environment for business,” said the minister. “We are keen to apply these lessons to strengthen Eswatini’s own Special Economic Zone initiatives and enhance our public–private partnerships.”
The delegation included MP Masiphula Mamba, Chairperson of the Ministry’s Portfolio Committee and members MP Wilton Nkambule, MP Ndumiso Gadlela, MP Sibongile Mamba and Mthayiphi Dlamini from the Department of Industries.
The Nigerian visit marks another milestone in Eswatini’s push to position itself as a competitive industrial hub within Southern Africa. The kingdom currently has two designated SEZs – the Royal Science and Technology Park (RSTP) SEZ and the King Mswati III International Airport SEZ – both designed to attract foreign direct investment (FDI), promote export-oriented manufacturing and generate employment through incentives such as tax holidays, duty-free imports and streamlined customs processes.
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Kellogg Tolaram expansion to create 10 000 jobs
MBABANE – Kellogg Tolaram Group has unveiled ambitious expansion plans aimed at increasing production capacity and extending its supply network across SADC.
The multinational group announced its expansion drive during the Eswatini Investment Conference held in May this year, which could create up to 10 000 new jobs in Eswatini, drawing attention to the country’s growing appeal as an investment destination within Southern Africa.
Currently, Kellogg Tolaram is a major private investor in Eswatini. The company owns the Lush Hair Factory in Ngwenya, employing 700 emaSwati and the Sibebe Kellogg Tolaram noodle plant in Matsapha, which provides jobs for 300 emaSwati.
During the Eswatini delegation’s visit to Lagos, company executives outlined the next phase of their regional strategy, which includes enhancing manufacturing operations, improving local supply chains and increasing exports to neighbouring markets.
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