MBABANE – The Eswatini Contractors Association (ECA) and Construction Industry Council (CIC) have launched a new system aimed at strengthening contractor skills, commercial discipline and industry sustainability in Eswatini’s construction sector.
The new continuing professional development (CPD) point system is also aimed at building verifiable competency across the sector.
The initiative comes at a time when the local construction industry is under increasing pressure to improve project delivery, strengthen financial sustainability and align with international standards of contract administration and commercial management.
ECA said the programme marked a milestone towards sector-wide digital transformation while addressing long-standing concerns about inadequate industry capacity through measurable evidence of professional growth.
The initiative introduces both company and individual CPD portals, enabling construction professionals and firms to monitor training participation, track accumulated points and access downloadable certificates and learning resources.
According to the training catalogue, the programme is designed to shift contractors from being purely technical operators into commercially astute business leaders capable of sustaining profitable enterprises in Eswatini’s increasingly competitive construction landscape.
In the foreword of the training catalogue, ECA noted that after identifying training gaps in 2025, the association deliberately shifted focus from pre-award tender preparation towards post-award project management and commercial discipline.
The organisation stated that while previous training stages focused on estimating, tendering and preliminaries pricing, the next phase seeks to ensure contractors protect profitability during project execution.
“In the complex regulatory environments governed by JBCC, GCC and FIDIC, the burden of commercial discipline rests squarely on the contractor,” the catalogue stated.
As part of the rollout, ECA and CIC are introducing Stage 4 training titled Mastering Construction Contract Administration, scheduled for May 25 to 28, 2026, at Sibane Hotel.
The intensive programme targets directors, site agents, quantity surveyors and contract managers, with participants expected to earn CPD credits upon completion.
The training modules focus on practical commercial management within construction projects.
Among the key areas covered are introduction to construction contracts, revenue protection strategies, understanding contract baselines, early detection of project variations, notice management and dispute prevention.
The programme also seeks to equip contractors with skills to protect themselves from contractual risks and revenue erosion. One module specifically challenges contractors to move beyond simple cost control towards actively protecting revenue entitlement during construction projects.
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The new continuing professional development point system is aimed at building verifiable competency across the sector. (Courtesy pic)