BY THEMBA ZWANE
EZULWINI – The Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade, Manqoba Khumalo, has officially launched the 2026 SEDCO Entrepreneur of the Year Awards (EYA), a 20th edition sponsored to the tune of over E2.2 million.
FNB Eswatini and FNB Foundation combined, sponsored the 2026 awards to the tune of E2 million. Other sponsors included ENPF who contributed E105 000, Taiwan ICDF contributed E55 000 and FINCORP gave E51 000.
Khumalo noted that every prize cheque handed out on that stage has been reinvested into a growing business, into a hired employee, into a community that is better off because an entrepreneur was seen and supported. He said that was not the return of a marketing campaign. That was the return of a national investment.
“Twenty years of this programme is equally twenty years of partnership, and we would be remiss not to pay special tribute to the organisation that has stood most firmly behind it. Our title sponsor, FNB Eswatini and the FNB Foundation, whose substantial and consistent investment covers both the financial prizes and the iconic grand prize vehicle, exemplifies precisely the kind of private sector leadership this nation needs more of,” he said.
The minister said their commitment has made regional ceremonies possible in all four corners of the Kingdom.
The bank has put meaningful cash prizes directly into the hands of entrepreneurs who need working capital, not applause alone. He said it has made the grand prize vehicle one of the most recognised symbols of entrepreneurial achievement in Eswatini and thanked FNB Eswatini sincerely and unreservedly.
“Beyond FNB, this programme has been sustained by a committed and growing family of government entities, financial institutions, development partners, and private companies who have recognised that investing in entrepreneurs is, ultimately, investing in Eswatini itself,” he said.
He added that what was particularly noteworthy was that among the sponsors of the day were former EYA winners who have returned to the programme not as recipients, but as partners, a full-circle moment that speaks more powerfully about the lasting impact of what they have built than any statistic could.
“To our media partner, we are grateful for ensuring that the achievements of our entrepreneurs resonate far beyond this room and into every community in the Kingdom. To every partner who has contributed to this programme, the ministry recognises your investment and honours your commitment. You are not simply sponsors of an awards programme. You are partners in the economic transformation of this country,” he said.
To those who have not yet joined them, Khumalo said the anniversary edition was their moment.
Partnering with the EYA 20th Anniversary means your brand stands alongside the most dynamic entrepreneurs in the Kingdom across a full programme cycle. It means you are in the room when His Majesty recognises the nation’s best. It means you are directly aligned with a programme whose impact on employment and economic growth is documented and real.
He challenged every corporate entity, every financial institution, and every successful entrepreneur in Eswatini to step forward. Make the statement that they believe in the people building this country.
“His Majesty’s Speech from the Throne was unambiguous, youth unemployment is a structural challenge that demands deliberate, sustained action. The EYA programme is one of the most direct tools we have to answer that call, by identifying, celebrating, and connecting the entrepreneurs who are already creating jobs and building economic opportunity across every region of Eswatini, but it cannot do that work without partnership.”
He urged entrepreneurs to enter the programme, apply and tell their story.
The names on the roll of honour of the programme include; Ezekiel Mkhombe, Phumelele Motsa, Sifiso Mashayinkonjane Nhlengethwa, Ali Resting, Thabiso Kunene, Thamsanqa Mdluli, Sibusiso Baartjies, Duncan Dlamini and the late Sheila Freemantle (Founder of Tintsaba and the first woman Entrepreneur of the Year Winner in 2006). These are not mythical figures.
They are businesspeople who built something real in Eswatini and had the courage to put their name forward and be assessed.
The application process has been made as accessible as it has ever been. Entry forms are available online through SEDCO’s digital platforms and social media pages, with mobile-friendly formats so that even those applying on a basic smartphone can complete them with ease. Hard copies are available at all SEDCO regional offices.
On behalf of the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade, Khumalo, congratulate SEDCO, the title sponsor FNB Eswatini, and all their valued partners for sustaining this programme through two decades of impactand then declare the 20th edition of the Entrepreneur of the Year Awards programme officially launched.
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