By Mbono Mdluli
MBABANE – Eswatini Government is working to ensure that the costs of data are decreased, as they are too high currently.
This was said by Minister of Finance Neal Rijkenberg during a panel discussion at the OPEC Fund Development Forum 2025. This event was held in Vienna, Austria, on June 17, 2025 and was organised by the OPEC Fund for International Development, under the theme, “A Transition that Empowers Our Tomorrow.”
Minister Rijkenberg was explaining on how Eswatini was using digital acceleration to strengthen inclusive growth, empowering every community in energy transition.
Rijkenberg stated that it was a fact that the costs of data had been decreased over the years. However, that did not change the fact that data costs remained high in Eswatini, compared with other countries. According to Rijkenberg, it did not make sense for people to have improved digital access and find that they were still prohibited by the costs to get the data.
He said Government was working with the World Bank to find ways to reduce the data costs. The minister said Government was working on ensuring complete digital access for all Emaswati. He told the meeting that most of the areas in Eswatini were still under the 3G network and the rate of that network was at 99%.
However, Rijkenberg noted that an improvement was needed on that aspect, hence there was a roll-out of the optic fibre cable across Eswatini, to ensure improved digital access for all Emaswati. The minister said Eswatini Posts and Telecommunications Corporation (EPTC), which was tasked with ensuring digital access for all Emaswati, was working in partnership with Eswatini Electricity Company (EEC) to use electricity lines for the latter company to ensure access to people across all places of Eswatini. He expressed hope that the project would be finished soon, as Eswatini was a small country.
Rijkenberg also stated that Eswatini Communications Commission (ESCCOM) was also working on the Universal Access Fund to mobilise networks to be able to serve the under-served communities. He further highlighted that Eswatini was one of the first countries to be able to licence StarLink and that was also done to enable people living in Eswatini to have improved digital access.
The minister said the universal digital access could also not be achieved without working on the fundamentals that were needed for the public to have access to basic needs, such as electricity, water, and education. Rijkenberg said Eswatini was working on achieving the 100% electricity access, and the country was currently at 88%. He said Government had secured a loan to ensure complete access to electricity.
The minister said water access was currently at 76% and the country was also working to ensure 100% clean water access. He also highlighted that Eswatini was working on ensuring access for everyone to education, having started with free primary education in 2010. He said high school drop-out was becoming a concern and Government was working to close that gap.
