BY SIFISO NHLABATSI
MANZINI– His Majesty King Mswati III has called on emaSwati to embrace sports as a business and economic enterprise, saying the sector has the potential to create sustainable livelihoods, export local talent and open new opportunities for young entrepreneurs.
The King made the call during the official opening of the 58th edition of the Eswatini International Trade Fair at the Mavuso Trade and Exhibition Centre on Saturday.
He said the nation was pleased with the integration of sports into the trade fair programme, stressing that sports were equally vital to Eswatini’s economic development.
“Maswati, sports must no longer be viewed merely as recreation; sports are a business,” the King said.
He said treating sports as an enterprise would enable emaSwati to build sustainable livelihoods, export talent and compete globally.
The King said the growing global sports economy had created opportunities that extended far beyond participation on the field of play.
In today’s evolving economy, he said, sports enterprise intersects directly with digital innovation, creative industries, broadcasting and youth self-employment.
His Majesty said capitalising on digital media streaming, athlete branding and modern sports management could create lucrative avenues for young entrepreneurs to build sustainable careers.
He said African athletes had already demonstrated the continent’s potential by bringing immense pride to Africa through their achievements on the global stage.
The King therefore urged the private sector to step forward and co-invest in sports development and youth innovation within the Kingdom.
He also commended sponsors for supporting the integration of sporting activities into the trade fair programme and ensuring that both the trade exhibition and sports centres were fully utilised.
The King extended special appreciation to 8Bet for renewing its football sponsorship for another three years.
He also recognised Mulasport for supporting various sporting disciplines, including basketball, netball and volleyball, as well as the cultural dance competition.
The royal call comes as the trade fair continues to incorporate a broader range of activities beyond exhibitions, creating opportunities for sport, entertainment, business and entrepreneurship to converge at one of the country’s biggest annual events.
The King’s remarks place renewed emphasis on the need to develop sustainable business models around sport and create an environment in which athletes, administrators, broadcasters, content creators and other young entrepreneurs can benefit from the expanding sports economy.
By investing in sporting talent and innovation, the private sector, government and other stakeholders could help transform sport from a recreational activity into a viable economic sector capable of creating jobs and sustainable livelihoods.
The King said Eswatini should therefore recognise the value of sports not only in promoting national pride and recreation, but also as an important driver of economic participation and opportunity.
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