BY PHESHEYA IAN KUNENE
EZULWINI – The Kingdom of Eswatini turned up the heat on energy reform today as it played host to the SACU Interstate Oil Committee (IOC) Meeting, bringing together heavyweights from across the region to tackle fuel pricing, security, and sustainability head-on.
Held at the Happy Valley Hotel on Monday, the summit attracted top delegates from Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini. The mission? Strengthen trade, secure supply, and fuel regional progress.
Ministry of Natural Resources and Energy Director Thabile Nkosi opened the seminar by laying down the gauntlet. “Our goal is simple,” she said, “boost cooperation on petroleum issues, secure stable supply chains, and enhance regional trade.”
Then came the main event, HRH Prince Lonkhokhela, Minister of Natural Resources and Energy, who didn’t hold back.
“The time for conventional conversations has passed. The future demands that we think bigger and act bolder,” he told the house packed with fuel regulators, oil execs, and government officials.
He urged SACU states to accelerate the transition to cleaner energy.
“We must move beyond paraffin and invest in LPG and biogas. The Petroleum Sector across our region is facing unprecedented shifts, this forum must signal a turning point.”
Prince Lonkhokhela applauded the IOC’s regional efforts, saying Eswatini had benefited immensely from its collaborative spirit, from the creation of the Eswatini National Petroleum Company, to a robust fuel pricing model, and the 2020 Petroleum Act that reformed the entire industry.
Locally, he said Eswatini had also updated its Regulatory Accounting System and reviewed its Basic Fuel Price model in 2022 to align with global pricing shifts. “We’re eager to exchange lessons and refine our systems further,” he added.
But he also issued a challenge: “Let us ensure that women are not just beneficiaries of energy reform, but active entrepreneurs, leaders, and decision-makers.”
Industry giants lined the summit’s guest list, including Payam Hashempour from S&P Global, Musa Shongwe (Acting CEO, Eswatini National Petroleum Company), Sanele Thwala (Eswatini Energy Regulatory Authority), Robert Maake (South Africa’s Department of Minerals and Petroleum Resources), Bruno Marques (MD, Galp Energy Eswatini), Rudi Rudolph (Eswatini Fuel Retailers Association), Thabo Buthelezi (Sasol SA), and Carlos Carvalho from AFROX.
The Minister wrapped things up with a call to action: “These are no longer future issues. They are now issues. And the Interstate Oil Committee must lead, not follow.”
He also thanked sponsors Total Energy, Puma Energy, Mount Meru Petroleum, Mitra Energy Eswatini, ENPC and the Eswatini Energy Regulatory Authority for powering the summit.
As the dust settled and deals were made in the margins, one thing was clear: SACU’s energy future is being mapped, and Eswatini is at the centre of the blueprint.
