BY TANDZILE DLAMINI
MBABANE- FNB Eswatini hosted its inaugural Business Reporters’ Capacitation Workshop, bringing together local business journalists and final-year UNESWA students for a full-day training.
The workshop strengthened their skills in interpreting economic data and delivering clear financial reporting that connects national economic issues to the lives of emaSwati.
The full day workshop, held on 04 February 2026 at House on Fire in Malkerns, formed part of FNB Eswatini’s 30 Acts of Help Campaign commemorating the bank’s 30th anniversary in the country. It drew 23 participants, including 17 business and finance reporters from ten local media houses and six Journalism and Mass Communication students from UNESWA.
The training focused on building practical skills in reporting on finance and the economy, with sessions covering economic indicators such as inflation, policy rates, GDP, the journalism of numbers, and best practices in national finance and business reporting. The aim was to bridge the gap between complex economic data and public understanding.
FNB Eswatini Chief Executive Officer Thokozani ‘TK’ Dlamini said the workshop reflected the bank’s commitment to Eswatini beyond its milestone anniversary. “As FNB Eswatini, we have been celebrating our 30th birthday with one unshakable promise, ‘Sitintile Eswatini futsi asiyindzawo.’ This promise has challenged us to think intensely about how we bring it to life across various sectors of society in Eswatini, and I am elated that it has led us to this point pertaining to the local journalism industry,” he said.
Dlamini emphasised the critical role of business journalism in national development, noting that financial reporting directly affects public understanding of the national budget, economic outlooks, and market developments.
“This sector has a huge bearing on the lives of emaSwati. As dynamic as it is, it requires you to stay on top of your game to continue simplifying financial jargon and delivering succinct news reports and analysis to a broader spectrum of emaSwati,” he added.
The workshop was facilitated by seasoned South African business journalists Rob Rose and Vernon Wessels, who together have more than four decades of newsroom experience, alongside a presentation by FNB Eswatini Economist Sephutile Mhlongo. A panel discussion titled Collaborating for impact: Strengthening reporting for national development featured Sibusile Dlamini of FNB Eswatini, Musa Maseko from Business Eswatini, and Sikhumbuzo Tsabedze from the Eswatini Stock Exchange.
Participants welcomed the initiative, describing it as timely and relevant. Times of Eswatini business reporter Nhlanganiso Mkhonta said the training would improve how journalists communicate economic issues.
“We greatly appreciate the bank’s initiative to host such an engagement as it will be very helpful in guiding us as we go about unpacking the numbers as business reporters,” he said.
Editors Forum Chairperson Mbongeni Mbingo said the workshop would help raise journalism standards in the country. “The workshop is fundamental to our pursuit of excellence and development of our journalists and the profession,” he said, urging participants to fully utilise the skills gained.
FNB Eswatini also acknowledged the participation of UNESWA students, describing their inclusion as an investment in the future of journalism. Dlamini said exposing students to real world economic reporting and industry professionals would better prepare them for the newsroom.
The workshop marked the thirteenth initiative under FNB Eswatini’s 30 Acts of Help Campaign, reinforcing the bank’s stated commitment to supporting education, skills development, and informed public discourse in Eswatini.
(Courtesy Pic)
