MANZINI – The 19th Regional Entrepreneur of the Year Awards (EYA) wrapped up on Thursday with ten businesses from Manzini taking top honours for their contribution to local enterprise, innovation and job creation.
The ceremony, held under the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade, also saw the unveiling of the Ministry’s Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Policy. Minister Manqoba Khumalo said the policy is geared towards boosting job creation and economic growth by strengthening the MSME sector throughout Eswatini.
Speaking during the awards, Minister Khumalo described the EYA as one of the Ministry’s key initiatives that recognises entrepreneurs who are actively shaping the country’s economy.
He said the Ministry, through the Small Enterprises Development Company (SEDCO), offers capacity-building services that help MSMEs grow into job-creating, export-ready businesses. These services include business training, incubation, advisory support and market access facilitation—especially for youth-run enterprises in rural areas.
This year’s Manzini regional winners were recognised across ten categories, ranging from green innovation to street vending:
- Outstanding Street Vendor Business – Benguni Handicraft
- Outstanding Handicraft Business – Busy Hands Visual Art
- Outstanding Business Owned by a Person with a Disability – Brains & Hands Investment
- Outstanding Youth-Owned Business – Beracha Kitchen
- Most Creative Business – Mongi Botanical
- Outstanding Green Business – Ehome Africa
- Outstanding Agribusiness – Fortune Piggery
- Outstanding Tech-Savvy Business – Red Apple Technologies
- Outstanding Start-Up – Lawn Craft Investments
- Overall Manzini Regional Winner – Ehome Africa
The winners were applauded for their innovation and contribution to Eswatini’s development through entrepreneurship.
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