The Minister of Information, Communications and Technology, Savannah Maziya, has represented Eswatini at the 20th Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) India–Africa Business Conclave held in New Delhi, India, from 27 to 29 August.
The meeting, which carried the theme “Co-Creating a Shared Future”, brought together African and Indian leaders, policymakers, business executives and innovators to strengthen trade, investment and technology partnerships.
Minister Maziya took part in a panel on “Accelerating Africa’s Digital Future through Innovation and R&D”, where discussions centred on how African countries can bridge the digital divide by adopting proven Indian models of digital public infrastructure such as Aadhaar and UPI.
She presented Eswatini’s National Digitalization Programme known as “Government in Your Hand”, which allows citizens to access state services through mobile devices, online platforms and digital kiosks. She said the programme reflects a people-first approach aimed at improving healthcare, creating opportunities for the youth, supporting farmers with data, and enabling citizens to take part in the digital economy.
The Minister noted that Africa’s young population, with over 60 percent under the age of 25, is positioned to drive transformation through innovation and enterprise creation. She called for stronger collaboration with India in areas such as digital skills, research partnerships, incubation, and investment in digital industries.
During the conclave, Maziya received a special recognition award for her role in championing digital transformation. She also joined a high-level roundtable on services, attended by African ministers, Indian officials and private sector leaders, which explored ways to expand digital services, financial inclusion, e-governance and innovation ecosystems across the continent.
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