Eswatini tables critical infrastructure protection bill to safeguard national ICT systems

By:  Nana Appiah Acquaye

The Acting Minister of ICT, S’khumbuzo Dlamini, has presented the Critical Infrastructure Protection Bill, 2025 before Eswatini’s House of Assembly, marking a significant step toward strengthening the security and resilience of the country’s essential digital infrastructure.

The proposed legislation seeks to address the growing threat of vandalism, fibre cuts, and targeted attacks on national infrastructure, including fibre-optic networks, telecommunications towers, and key ICT systems that support government services and private-sector operations.

According to the Ministry of ICT, the Bill comes at a time when disruptions to critical infrastructure have repeatedly affected e-government platforms, impeded business activities, and left citizens without access to vital communication services. The Ministry warns that the country cannot afford recurrent outages that threaten public safety, hinder economic growth, and stall digital transformation efforts.

The Bill outlines enhanced penalties for offences, assigns clearer security and maintenance responsibilities to relevant stakeholders, and establishes faster, more coordinated mechanisms for reporting and responding to incidents affecting critical infrastructure.

If passed, the Critical Infrastructure Protection Bill, 2025 is expected to reinforce national efforts to secure Eswatini’s digital backbone and ensure stable, uninterrupted connectivity for citizens, businesses, and government institutions.