Eswatini accelerates digital transformation as economic growth catalyst
Date: 2025-08-04
Eswatini’s ICT Minister, Savannah Maziya has positioned digital transformation as the cornerstone of Eswatini's economic modernization strategy during her keynote address at the Eswatini Economic Update 2025. The high-level forum, co-hosted by the World Bank, showcased the kingdom's ambitious tech-driven development agenda to government leaders and international partners.
Minister Maziya
framed digital adoption as an economic imperative, revealing concrete
milestones including expanded fiber optic deployment, upgraded international
bandwidth capacity to 72Gbps, and the launch of 11 e-government services with
90 additional digital services planned within three years. The minister warned
that "failure to digitally transform risks Eswatini's global
relevance," while outlining legislative reforms to govern emerging
technologies like AI, robotics, and space systems.
The
presentation highlighted Eswatini's comprehensive approach combining
infrastructure, policy, and skills development. Notable initiatives include
Mbabane's transformation into a smart city with 5G and AI-enabled surveillance
systems, plus a nationwide coding program targeting 300,000 citizens. Minister
Maziya emphasized these investments will drive inclusive growth through
improved service delivery, job creation, and enhanced governance
transparency.
World Bank
representatives welcomed Eswatini's progress, particularly its public-private
partnerships in digital infrastructure development. The Economic Update served
as a strategic platform to align international support with national
priorities, recognizing digital transformation as a cross-cutting enabler for
achieving the kingdom's broader development objectives.
With its blend
of regulatory foresight and practical implementation, Eswatini's digital
strategy demonstrates how small nations can leverage technology to amplify
global competitiveness while addressing local socioeconomic needs through
citizen-centric innovation.
By: Robert Owureku Annor
