Mbabane — The Eswatini National Youth Council and Entrepreneurial Action for US Eswatini have signed a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at boosting youth entrepreneurship, innovation and employability at a time when youth unemployment remains high in the country, according to reports by InsideBiz.
The agreement was signed on Friday, February sixth, two thousand and twenty six, during a media attended ceremony held at the ENACTUS Eswatini country office at Queensgate along Murray Road in Mbabane.
The partnership brings together ENYC, the Government of Eswatini’s coordinating body for youth programmes, and ENACTUS Eswatini, a student and graduate focused organisation working on entrepreneurship and social impact. Both institutions said the collaboration is intended to invest in practical skills, leadership development and youth led solutions that directly confront unemployment.
Speaking at the ceremony, ENYC Chief Executive Officer Lwazi Mamba said the agreement aligns with the council’s mandate to coordinate youth development initiatives nationwide.
“ENYC has found it imperative to partner with institutions already producing tangible results on the ground. ENACTUS has consistently demonstrated that innovation and entrepreneurship can be harnessed to solve community level challenges while preparing young people for economic participation,” Mamba said.
ENACTUS Eswatini Country Director Sabelo Dlamini said the memorandum creates a structured framework for cooperation rather than symbolic engagement, allowing both organisations to jointly promote entrepreneurship, leadership development and social impact projects among students and graduates.
“Today is not merely about signatures. It is a commitment to the future of our youth and to the economic resilience of our country,” Dlamini said.
He said ENACTUS Eswatini has expanded its focus beyond tertiary students to include graduates, responding to changing labour market demands. The organisation is now working on experiential learning initiatives that link academic training with industry needs, alongside plans to develop a remote jobs platform that connects Eswatini graduates with digital employment opportunities beyond the country’s borders.
The partnership is also expected to strengthen youth participation in corporate governance and leadership, with ENYC’s mindset change and psychosocial preparedness toolkits set to be incorporated into ENACTUS training programmes.
According to the latest State of the Youth Report, Eswatini has an estimated eighteen thousand to twenty two thousand students enrolled in local tertiary institutions, including universities, teacher training colleges, technical and vocational education institutions and industrial training centres. Females make up more than half of these enrolments, with many studying education and health sciences.
Despite this, youth unemployment in Eswatini is estimated at about forty nine percent, leaving a significant number of graduates without formal employment. The report also shows that around twenty eight percent of micro, small and medium enterprises are owned by young people, pointing to opportunities for job creation if youth owned businesses receive adequate support through policy alignment, skills development and investment.
Both ENYC and ENACTUS said the partnership is designed to translate policy intent into practical action by positioning young people as drivers of economic transformation.
“We believe youth can change the trajectory of unemployment in this country. This partnership enables us to combine policy coordination with practical entrepreneurial action,” Dlamini said.
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