Ezulwini- The Minister of Information, Communication, and Technology Savannah Maziya, has called on government-owned ICT institutions to reduce their reliance on public funding and increasingly generate their own income through innovation and strategic partnerships.
Speaking during the unveiling of three new digital products developed in collaboration with MTN Eswatini, Maziya said the era of state institutions depending entirely on government allocations must come to an end.
The minister said institutions under the ICT ministry, including the Royal Science and Technology Park (RSTP), Eswatini Communications Commission (ESCCOM), Eswatini Posts and Telecommunications Corporation (EPTC) and Eswatini Broadcasting and Information Services (EBIS), should increasingly position themselves as income-generating entities while continuing to serve the public.
“We must start looking at our institutions as income-producing institutions so that they do not rely on government and strain government resources,” she said.Maziya revealed that the ministry deliberately negotiated revenue-sharing arrangements as part of its collaboration with MTN, arguing that government institutions should benefit financially from ideas and innovations they help develop.
“The whole point of us bringing the idea and sitting down and talking about how this should be done should also result in income for our different institutions,” she said.
The minister made the remarks while introducing a telemedicine platform that will enable patients to consult qualified doctors remotely, a livestock-tracking solution designed to help farmers monitor and protect their animals, and a digital content monetisation platform aimed at helping emaSwati earn income online.
According to Maziya, the projects demonstrate how strategic partnerships with the private sector can help government overcome resource limitations while delivering practical solutions to citizens.
She said the telemedicine service would improve access to healthcare by allowing people to consult doctors 24 hours a day without travelling long distances or spending hours in queues. The platform is also expected to integrate with medical aid schemes and eventually support home delivery of prescribed medication through EPTC.
The livestock-tracking solution, meanwhile, is expected to strengthen livestock security and help address stock theft by enabling farmers to monitor the location of their animals through mobile technology.
Maziya also highlighted the economic potential of digital content creation, describing monetisation as an emerging source of employment and entrepreneurship, particularly for young people. She said the ministry was working to expand opportunities beyond existing platforms by engaging global technology companies to support local creators.
However, the minister cautioned that the success of digital services would depend heavily on reliable internet connectivity. She challenged MTN and the ministry to prioritise network stability and eliminate persistent connectivity challenges that continue to frustrate consumers.
“The next project we are going to embark on is providing this country with stable, reliable and constant connectivity,” she said.Maziya said improving network reliability was essential if Eswatini is to fully benefit from digital healthcare, online business opportunities and other technology-driven services being introduced across the country.
She called for stronger collaboration between government and business, saying innovation and economic growth would be accelerated when both sectors work together to solve national challenges.
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