MBABANE – Business Eswatini (BE) Chief Executive Officer Nathi Dlamini has welcomed the country’s strong performance in the World Bank’s latest Business Ready (B-READY) 2025 report.
However, Dlamini cautioned that the encouraging results should not breed complacency.
Dlamini said the report confirms that Eswatini is moving in the right direction in creating a business-friendly environment, yet much more work remains to be done to strengthen policy reforms and unlock the full potential of the private sector.
Eswatini has been ranked 10th best-performing country in Africa in the World Bank’s latest B-READY 2025 report.
This cements the kingdom’s position as one of the continent’s leading reformers in improving the business environment.
Eswatini’s impressive ranking as the 10th best-performing country in Africa in the World Bank’s B-READY 2025 report has been driven by wide-ranging reforms.
“The World Bank’s B-Ready 2025 research report and the country ratings therein only serve to highlight the long and meandering journey the country has travelled towards its destination of being counted among other global economies that really mean business,” Dlamini said.
“Indeed, Eswatini means business even though we should not be detached from the reality that we still have a long way to go in our tireless endeavour to further improve our ratings as a country. In other words, as we muse over the positive report, it should not lead us to a state of complacency.”
The B-READY report assesses how conducive national regulatory environments are for business activity, focusing on areas such as market entry, business operations, access to finance, infrastructure, labour regulations and dispute resolution.
However, Dlamini stressed that reform momentum must be sustained if Eswatini is to transform positive rankings into tangible economic outcomes such as job creation, enterprise growth and increased investment.
Dlamini said meaningful progress occurs when national policy reforms are aligned with the needs of the private sector.
“That being said, however, it would be utterly remiss of me if I did not state that when national policy reforms begin to be aligned with private sector needs, something truly magical begins to happen,” he said.
“One would hope that we are able to keep pushing the envelope of policy reform in the country and augment these steps by further strengthening the private sector, as we begin the new year.”
He noted that the B-READY report reinforces a long-held economic principle: That the private sector is the engine of growth, innovation and job creation.
“The World Bank report has reiterated this very same fact – that the private sector, here at home and around the world, is indeed the engine for national economic development and job creation and we can only ignore this principle to our peril.”
Business Eswatini, as the apex representative body for the private sector, has consistently advocated for reforms that improve the ease of doing business, reduce regulatory bottlenecks and stimulate entrepreneurship across the country.
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Private sector as growth engine
MBABANE – The B-READY report highlights the importance of a predictable regulatory environment, access to finance, efficient infrastructure and fair competition in enabling businesses to thrive.
Business Eswatini CEO Nathi Dlamini said these elements must be strengthened to ensure that private enterprises can scale up, invest confidently and create more jobs.
He said Business Eswatini will continue engaging government to advocate for reforms that reduce the cost of doing business, improve regulatory efficiency and promote inclusive economic participation.
Key areas of focus include:
- Simplifying licensing and compliance procedures
- Improving access to affordable finance for SMEs
- Strengthening contract enforcement mechanisms
- Expanding digital government services
- Enhancing skills development and workforce readiness
The B-READY report also stresses the importance of labour market efficiency, highlighting the need for balanced regulations that protect workers while allowing businesses to operate competitively.
Despite the positive international recognition, Dlamini warned against complacency, saying reform fatigue could reverse the gains already made.
“In other words, as we muse over the positive report, it should not lead us to a state of complacency,” he said.
He stressed that economic competitiveness is not a destination, but an ongoing process that requires constant adaptation to global trends, technological changes and evolving investor expectations.
Dlamini said Eswatini must continue benchmarking itself against global best practice, not only within Africa but internationally.
“Being competitive today does not guarantee competitiveness tomorrow. The global business environment is constantly evolving, and countries that stand still are quickly overtaken.”
Eswatini’s strong B-READY showing places it among Africa’s more reform-oriented economies, reinforcing its positioning as an investment destination within the region.
*Full article available on Pressreader*
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