BY GCWALISILE MHLABANE
MANZINI – Creating businesses that solve real problems, create jobs and contribute to Eswatini’s development is now a challenge the country’s youth must take seriously, as they have been urged to turn their ideas, skills and determination into enterprises that create lasting value.
His Excellency the Right Honourable Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini made the call on Friday, August 21, 2026, when he addressed students, graduates, out-of-school youth and young entrepreneurs during the Enactus Eswatini 2026 National Expo Finals at The George Hotel in Manzini.
Dlamini, who was the Guest of Honour, said young people should move beyond being praised for their potential and focus on developing the discipline, skills and determination required to turn ideas into sustainable businesses.
“I came to speak to you about something harder and more useful: skill, discipline, and the will to build a prosperity that lasts for you, for your communities, and for the earth that sustains us all,” he said.
The Prime Minister urged young Emaswati to pursue excellence in entrepreneurship and ensure that their enterprises create value without depleting the resources upon which future generations will depend.
“My charge to every young person here, whether you sit in a lecture hall or have already left one behind, is this: become excellent at building enterprises that create value without destroying it. Do not settle for adequate. Be excellent,” Dlamini said.
He said prosperity should not be measured by profit alone, arguing that businesses should also strengthen communities, create opportunities and protect the environment.
“The land, the water, the climate — these are not backdrops to your enterprise; they are your supply chain, your capital, your first and most patient investor,” he said.
Dlamini cautioned young entrepreneurs against believing that a good idea automatically translates into a successful business.
“A business plan is not a business. A prototype is not a product,” he said.
He explained that the journey from an idea to a successful enterprise requires testing, failure, correction and persistence.
The Prime Minister also challenged the education system and young people to place greater emphasis on practical capability.
“Eswatini does not need more people holding qualifications. It needs people holding capability,” he said.
He encouraged students to make use of laboratories, workshops, mentors and academic assignments as opportunities to prepare for real challenges facing the Kingdom.
For out-of-school youth, Dlamini said the marketplace and their communities could provide equally valuable opportunities to learn, develop skills and identify business opportunities.
He pointed to agriculture, clean energy, waste management, water security and food production as sectors where young Emaswati could develop enterprises that address national challenges while creating livelihoods.
Dlamini further called for a stronger ecosystem around young entrepreneurs, involving government, the private sector, academia, financial institutions, development partners and communities.
He said young entrepreneurs need more than capital, highlighting mentorship, technology, market access and networks as important ingredients for turning promising ideas into viable businesses.
The Prime Minister urged the youth not to wait for perfect economic conditions before taking action.
“Do not wait for a perfect economy to begin. Do not wait for capital before you start saving, for permission before you start practicing, or for certainty before you start building responsibly,” he said.
He said the businesses being established by young Emaswati today could help shape Eswatini’s economy over the next decade.
“Your qualifications will get you noticed, but your skill will get you kept. Your ideas will get you applause, but the discipline to build responsibly will get you a future worth having,” Dlamini said.
The Enactus Eswatini 2026 National Expo Finals brought together four tertiary institution teams competing for the national title through student-led enterprises aimed at addressing socioeconomic challenges and promoting domestic production.
#EswatiniPositiveNews #EnactusEswatini #YouthEnterprise #PrimeMinister #RussellMmisoDlamini #YouthEmpowerment #Eswatini2026
