Mbabane- The success or failure of Eswatini’s about E1.2 billion (US$65 million) Digital Eswatini Project
supported by the World Bank will rest not on technology, but on the willingness of government leaders
to drive change within their institutions, Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Information,
Communications and Technology (MICT), Prince Mshishimba has warned.
Addressing directors and chief executive officers of ICT parastatals during the opening of a two-day
Change Management Workshop on Wednesday, Dlamini said digital transformation was ultimately
about changing organizational culture, leadership and service delivery rather than simply installing new
technology.
He challenged executives to take ownership of the programme, warning that without visible
commitment from institutional leaders, the country’s ambitious digital agenda would struggle to achieve
its intended impact.
“The services to be digitized sit across your directorates and parastatals. The governance and change
management needed to succeed require your active ownership. Commit your institutions, assign your
best people and champion this project from the top,” Dlamini said.
His remarks come as government prepares to roll out the World Bank-funded Digital Eswatini Project, an
initiative aimed at expanding affordable broadband infrastructure and accelerating the digitisation of
public services.
Dlamini said while Eswatini had achieved approximately 95 per cent mobile network coverage, only 57
per cent of the population subscribed to mobile internet services, largely because data remained
expensive and many public services continued to rely on paper-based processes that forced citizens to
visit government offices.
He said the project sought to close that gap by investing in fibre infrastructure, improving digital public
services and making government services accessible online.
“Delivering on that ambition requires more than technology. It requires deliberate, sustained change
leadership,” he said.
The principal secretary revealed that the ministry had already conducted change management sessions
with operational officials across government institutions, but said lasting transformation would only be
achieved if senior leadership actively drove the process.
He said leaders would need to demonstrate commitment through the way they communicate reforms,
allocate resources and hold their organizations accountable for implementation.
Dlamini also called on participating institutions to match the confidence shown by the World Bank
through its investment in the project.
“The Ministry is proud to lead this initiative, but we cannot do it alone. The World Bank’s presence
reflects its confidence in Eswatini. It is now our responsibility to deliver,” he said.
Digital Eswatini Project Manager Zandile Mthembu said implementation would be rolled out in three
major components, beginning with the construction of the country’s digital infrastructure backbone.
She said fibre optic infrastructure would be extended to underserved communities to improve internet
accessibility and create the foundation for digital public services across the country.
Mthembu said the investment was expected to transform how citizens interact with government by
making essential services more accessible through digital platforms.
Supporting the infrastructure rollout, the project is expected to connect 1,031 public institutions to
broadband services. These include 859 schools, 134 health facilities and 38 tinkhundla centres,
significantly expanding digital access for communities throughout the country.
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