Ezulwini– The Construction Industry Council (CIC) is moving to establish a Construction Industry Fund aimed at improving access to finance for local contractors and consultants, with government already committing to support the initiative provided it becomes financially sustainable.
Speaking during the Construction Stakeholder Forum 2026, CIC Chief Executive Officer Machawe Mnisi said the council was conducting a feasibility study for the proposed fund, which is expected to be completed by November 2026.
He said the proposal follows concerns repeatedly raised by industry players over the difficulty small and medium-sized contractors face in accessing funding required to execute projects and meet tender requirements.
Mnisi said the Ministry of Public Works and Transport and the Ministry of Finance were working with the council to develop the initiative, adding that the feasibility study would determine how the fund can remain sustainable over the long term.
He revealed that the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) would support the feasibility study.”We do not only want to create the fund, but we want to ensure that it grows and remains sustainable,” he said.
Mnisi said the council had also taken note of a similar construction industry fund recently launched by South Africa’s Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB), saying it provided useful lessons as Eswatini develops its own model.
He said once the feasibility study is completed, the council would return to industry stakeholders to seek their input before the fund is launched.
According to Mnisi, the proposed fund is expected to improve access to finance for emaSwati contractors while helping address strict financial requirements that often prevent smaller local firms from successfully bidding for public infrastructure projects.
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