BY PHUMELELE GAMEDZE
MBABANE– Twenty youth owned businesses aged 18–34 have been given an opportunity to obtain Ingelo certification, opening a potential pathway into formal retail markets.
The call targets registered youth owned businesses in agro processing, cottage food production, light manufacturing and other value adding sectors, with applicants to receive support in preparing their products and production systems for certification.
Speaking on the Eswatini TV Market View programme, Eswatini Standards Authority (ESWASA) Executive Director Ncamiso Mhlanga said certification remains one of the major requirements for locally produced goods seeking space on retail shelves and access to export markets.
“One of the most fundamental things required for products to be found in retail shops around the country and for export purposes is that those products have to be certified,” Mhlanga said.
The opportunity is being implemented by ESWASA and the Small Enterprises Development Company (SEDCO), in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) under the Eswatini Youth Empowerment Programme (EYEP).
For many young entrepreneurs, producing a product is only the beginning. Getting that product accepted by formal retailers can present another challenge altogether.
Mhlanga explained that the Ingelo Certification Scheme was introduced to help small scale producers overcome this barrier by moving from informal production towards structured systems that demonstrate safety, quality and consistency.
He said many small producers operate from homes, backyards or kitchens that were not designed for commercial manufacturing.
The scheme therefore helps qualifying businesses strengthen production systems, introduce proper hygiene and safety practices, improve record-keeping and traceability, and work towards recognised quality requirements.
“Every product whether consumable or non consumable has a particular standard with specific parameters it must meet,” Mhlanga said.
These parameters can include product safety, ingredients and dietary requirements, depending on the nature of the product.
The process does not end when a business receives the certification mark.
Mhlanga said businesses will be subjected to surveillance audits to ensure that they continue producing according to the required standards.
“The scheme will conduct surveillance audits,” he said.
Products must also undergo testing before certification can be issued, while the production systems and records of the business are assessed against the applicable requirements.
This means entrepreneurs are being challenged to build businesses capable of maintaining standards consistently rather than simply preparing for a once-off inspection.
The Ingelo scheme was introduced after Government identified certification as one of the barriers limiting the ability of locally produced goods to penetrate formal markets.
UNDP reported that when the scheme was launched in November 2024, product quality, health and safety requirements were among the challenges facing MSMEs seeking access to formal retail markets.
The first phase involved 20 MSMEs producing products including dairy products, beverages, jams, peanut butter, cake mix, chilli, floor polish, biscuits, rusks and coffee.
By February 2026, UNDP reported that 23 businesses had developed products under the Ingelo scheme and were receiving support through auditing and capacity building aimed at meeting retail requirements.
For young entrepreneurs, the current opportunity therefore comes at a critical point in the journey from making a product to building a market-ready business.
A certification mark alone does not guarantee that a product will succeed commercially, but it provides evidence that the product and its production process have been assessed against specified requirements.
Eligible businesses are encouraged to submit their applications before the 25 September 2026 deadline.
The current call seeks businesses that are already registered and owned by young people aged between 18 and 34.
SEDCO’s official forms page lists the 2026 Ingelo Certification Application Form, while ESWASA provides information on the certification process.
For Mhlanga, the bigger objective is to help local producers cross a difficult gap from producing something that customers can buy to producing something that formal markets can confidently accept.
The Ingelo scheme consequently places certification at the centre of a bigger question facing local entrepreneurs: Can a locally made product move beyond the producer’s immediate customer base and compete on formal shelves?
#IngeloCertification #YouthEntrepreneurs #EswatiniBusiness #MarketAccess
(Courtesy Pic)
