Economic growth must be felt by all – minister

EZULWINI – The Minister for Commerce, Industry and Trade, Manqoba Khumalo, says Eswatini’s economy is showing signs of growth.

He said, however, progress is still not being felt by most emaSwati on the ground, particularly micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

They said the MSMEs continue to face barriers that prevent them from participating fully in the country’s economic gains.

The minister was speaking yesterday during the official opening of the three-day Eswatini MSME Conference being held at the Royal Villas, which concludes tomorrow.

The conference has brought together entrepreneurs, policymakers, financiers, development partners, innovators and academic institutions to collectively address the structural challenges affecting the MSME sector.

Khumalo said the recurring question across communities, business forums and public platforms had been why the much-talked-about economic growth has not translated into real, tangible benefits for ordinary citizens.

“It has been noted that the country’s economy is growing, but emaSwati on the ground – especially MSMEs – are not feeling that growth. The question is why? The reality is that the growth is currently saturated at the top. It is being enjoyed up there,” he said.

He explained that the intention behind hosting the conference was to provide a platform where MSMEs could speak openly about the challenges they face and collectively explore solutions. Government’s role, he emphasised, was to listen.

“This conference is for MSMEs. It is a space for them to deliberate on the issues affecting them. As government, we are here to sit down and listen,” Khumalo stated.

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UN calls for scalable finance to strengthen MSMEs

EZULWINI – The United Nations has called for urgent and innovative reforms to unlock accessible and affordable financing for MSMEs.

This call was made by United Nations Resident Coordinator, George Wachira, during the official opening of the inaugural three-day Eswatini’s micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) Conference held at the Royal Villas yesterday.

Wachira highlighted that the sector remains central to job creation, economic growth and sustainable development.

He said that while MSMEs are globally recognised for their significant contribution to economic output and employment, they continue to face persistent barriers that limit their growth and competitiveness – particularly in accessing finance on fair and viable terms.

“We need to crack the challenge of accessible and affordable finance for MSMEs,” Wachira said.

“This will require learning from across the world about how banks, microfinance institutions, development agencies and government can work together to scale MSME financing, including through digital credit scoring or fintech platforms.”

He pointed to Kenya’s MSME Credit Guarantee Scheme and its thriving digital finance ecosystem as an example that Eswatini can adapt.

In Kenya, government, commercial banks and fintech firms jointly extend financing through mobile-based credit scoring systems, backed by partial government guarantees to reduce lending risk.

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MSMEs central to economic transformation – PM

EZULWINI – The Prime Minister, Russell Mmiso Dlamini, described the conference as a direct contribution to the National Development Plan (NDP) and the kingdom’s long-term economic transformation agenda.

The prime minister was represented by the Minister for Economic Planning and Development, Dr Thambo Gina.

He emphasised