BY GCWALISILE MHLABANE
MBABANE– Eswatini is preparing for a major digital transformation under a proposed five-year E1.1 billion Digital Eswatini Project that aims to connect 1 031 public institutions, digitise more than 50 government services and equip 200 000 citizens with digital skills.
The ambitious project was at the centre of a two-day Change Management Workshop hosted by the Ministry of Information, Communications and Technology (MICT) at the Hilton Garden Inn in Mbabane on July 22, 2026.
The workshop brought together directors, chief executive officers of parastatals and senior public sector leaders to strengthen leadership commitment and prepare institutions for the planned implementation of the project, which is expected to run from 2026 to 2031.
The project is valued at US$65 million, equivalent to about E1.1 billion, with proposed financing expected to be supported by the World Bank. However, the funds are not yet available, as the project remains in the preparatory and planning stage.
Once financing is secured, the initiative is expected to transform how emaSwati access government services while addressing some of the country’s major digital challenges, including high internet costs, limited broadband uptake and continued reliance on paper-based systems.
The project aims to achieve 100 per cent broadband coverage nationwide and connect 1 031 institutions, including 38 tinkhundla centres, 134 health centres and 859 schools, through the planned construction of 2 000 kilometres of fibre backbone infrastructure.
Opening the workshop, MICT Principal Secretary Prince Mshishimba Andreas Dlamini said the project marked an important milestone in Eswatini’s digital transformation journey.
He said the country faced a significant gap between network coverage and actual internet usage, highlighting the need for greater affordability and improved access.
“Only 57 per cent of our people subscribe to mobile internet despite 95 per cent network coverage. Data costs remain among the highest in the region. Most public services are still paper-based and delivered in person,” Dlamini said.
MICT Project Manager Zandile Mthembu said the high cost of connectivity remained a major barrier to digital inclusion.
She revealed that broadband connectivity consumes about 19 per cent of average monthly incomes in Eswatini, significantly above the two per cent international affordability benchmark.
Mthembu said the project would seek to address the affordability challenge through expanded fibre infrastructure and Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), making internet access more affordable and accessible nationwide.
The Digital Eswatini Project also aims to move more than 50 priority government services from paper-based systems to digital platforms.
These include services such as birth certificates, business registration, health records and tax filings, potentially reducing the need for citizens to travel to government offices, complete paperwork and endure long queues.
Through the “Government in Your Hand” component, the project will support the development of Digital ID, cybersecurity and data protection frameworks to create a safer and more efficient digital government environment.
The project also targets 200 000 citizens for digital skills training, with the aim of ensuring that improved connectivity translates into meaningful participation in the digital economy.
The proposed financing is structured around three components. About US$36 million (about E596.2 Million)is earmarked for affordable broadband, covering fibre infrastructure expansion, telecommunications regulatory reforms and measures to strengthen the country’s digital connectivity ecosystem.
A further US$25 million (about E411.5 Million) is earmarked for the “Government in Your Hand” component, which will support the digitisation of public services, digital identity, cybersecurity, data protection and digital skills.
The remaining US$4 million (about E65.8 Million) is intended for project management, including financial management, procurement, monitoring and evaluation and technical oversight.
Once fully implemented, the project is expected to reach 500 000 active service users, potentially changing how citizens interact with government.
Dlamini, however, stressed that achieving the project’s ambitious targets would require more than technology and infrastructure, saying strong leadership and effective change management would be critical.
“Delivering on that ambition, however, requires more than technology – it requires deliberate, sustained change leadership,” he said.
He said the ministry had already conducted Change Agents workshops across institutions to build awareness at operational level, but the latest engagement focused on senior leadership because transformation of such magnitude needed to be driven from the top.
“Transformation of this scale must be sponsored and driven from the top,” Dlamini said.
He challenged directors and parastatal CEOs to commit their institutions, assign capable personnel and champion the project.
“I ask each of you today: commit your institutions, assign your best people, and champion this project from the top,” he said.
Dlamini said the services targeted for digitisation cut across government ministries, departments and parastatals, making active ownership by senior leaders essential to the project’s success.
By connecting schools, health facilities and tinkhundla centres, the project is expected to extend digital transformation beyond urban areas and bring services closer to communities.
If the proposed financing is secured and the project is successfully implemented, it could reduce physical visits to government offices, cut reliance on paperwork and widen access to affordable digital services.
With targets of 100 per cent broadband coverage, 1 031 institutions connected, more than 50 government services digitised, 500 000 active users and 200 000 citizens trained in digital skills, the Digital Eswatini Project could lay the foundation for a more connected, digitally skilled and inclusive Eswatini.
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