MBABANE – Eswatini’s flagship youth entrepreneurship platform, the Umliba Youth Entrepreneurship Conference (UYEC), returns for its third edition today.
This year’s edition comes with a sharpened focus on green innovation, sustainable enterprise and unlocking real business opportunities for young people.
Hosted by the Youth Enterprise Revolving Fund (YERF), in partnership with the Royal Science and Technology Park (RSTP), this year’s conference is expected to draw hundreds of aspiring and established entrepreneurs to the UNESWA Sports Emporium at Kwaluseni.
Running under the theme ‘Together We Build – Unlocking New Business Opportunities and Access to Finance’, UYEC 2025 aims to deepen youth participation in emerging industries that are reshaping Africa’s economic landscape. According to the conference overview, the 2025 edition will highlight three key development pillars: renewable energy, access to finance and waste-to-value opportunities in the circular economy.
These align with Eswatini’s national development goals, the AU’s Agenda 2063 and global climate-resilience commitments.
The organisers note that the conference remains one of the most comprehensive annual gatherings for Eswatini’s youth, bringing together policymakers, innovators, financiers, regulators and development partners.
Over the years, UYEC has positioned itself as a space, where young people can access knowledge, network with industry leaders and explore new funding avenues.
YERF Chief Executive Officer Mandla Nkambule is expected to open the conference with remarks emphasising the fund’s growing support for youth entrepreneurship and its mission to strengthen financial inclusion.
Throughout the day, several high-profile panel sessions will interrogate opportunities in renewable energy, access to skills, ICT-driven innovation, policy alignment and business development.
A major highlight of this year’s event is the Ministries’ Panel featuring four Cabinet ministers, whose portfolios are central to youth participation in economic development.
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… spotlight on renewable energy opportunities
MBABANE – With energy security and green transition becoming national priorities, Session 3 will delve into the evolving renewable energy sector.
Presenters will include the Eswatini Energy Regulatory Authority (ESERA), STREEC, UNDP, and the Eswatini Electricity Company (EEC). Key topics will cover embedded generation prospects, training and certification for technicians, grant opportunities and the skills in high demand as energy markets decentralise.
Experts such as ESERA CEO Sikhumbuzo Tsabedze and EEC’s renewables engineer Nosipho Simelane-Dlamini will outline pathways for youth to enter a sector that is rapidly transforming under new policies and climate-driven investment. The ICT & Innovation session will shine a light on opportunities emerging from Eswatini’s fast-digitising economy.
RSTP will present its training and incubation programmes, the Central Bank of Eswatini will unpack its Fintech Sandbox, and private-sector innovators will share success stories in mobile payments, compliance and digital entrepreneurship.
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… financial institutions to present funding options
MBABANE – UYEC’s final major session will focus on access to finance, featuring presentations from FINCORP, IDCE, EADF, FNB Eswatini, Zion Venture Partners, the Eswatini Stock Exchange and ENIDC.
This platform will allow the youth to understand funding requirements, investment readiness, early-stage financing options and how to build bankable projects.
Institutions will also outline products tailored for youth, including microfinance offerings, scored-lending tools, venture capital pathways and the role of capital markets in enterprise expansion.
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