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The 2025 Ibhuma Business Dinner was “not just a dinner but an activation of vision, capital, and courage.” These were the words of Senate President in the Kingdom of Eswatini, Honorable Lindiwe Dlamini, who was a keynote speaker at the inaugural event held at Summerfield Botanical Garden & Exclusive Resort last Saturday.
“Your commitment to fostering cross-border collaboration and enterprise development is exactly the kind of leadership we need to shape Africa’s future,” she said commending Bracefield Investment Group and Pinaco & Co for convening the inter-country business networking event.
In her address, the Senate President cemented her belief that Eswatini and South Africa can build more than trade ties, and prosperity pipelines but can also forge a regional economy that is driven – not by extractive dependency, but by innovation, entrepreneurship, and shared growth.
African Continental Free Trade Area
As the world turns inward executing protectionist and isolationist policies, erecting trade barriers, and imposing unprecedented tariffs, the Senate President called Africa to do the opposite. “We must open up to ourselves,” she said.
“The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is more than a trade deal. It is a fulfilment of a dream – one first articulated by giants like Kwame Nkrumah, Julius Nyerere, and Emperor Haile Selassie – who envisioned a united Africa with one voice, one market, and one destiny.” – Senate President, Honorable Lindiwe Dlamini.
The Senate President sees AfCFTA as a door to a US$3.4 trillion African market, and believes that building a business in Eswatini or South Africa, is “building for the continent.” She called for a shift from exporting raw materials to exporting finished goods, from economic fragmentation to integration, and from dependence to continental resilience.
“The future belongs not to those who think in borders, but in supply chains. AfCFTA is our vehicle to move goods, services, people – and possibilities across Africa with purpose and pride.”
Recognizing South Africa as Eswatini’s largest trading partner, she challenged Eswatini entrepreneurs to evolve from trading goods to trading innovation, services, and capital. “Our economies are intertwined. Let’s formalize the informal, invest in SMMEs, and create regional champions,” she said.
Investment Opportunities for Investors in Eswatini
Eswatini is open for investment in agribusiness, renewable energy, ICT and digital innovation, light manufacturing, tourism, and creative industries.
“With 95% of our energy currently imported, renewable energy is not just an opportunity – it’s a necessity. We have fertile land, youthful labor, and a strong regional position. Imagine turning Eswatini into a food processing hub for Southern Africa,” she said. Eswatini’s tourism sector is a sleeping giant – rich culture, pristine nature, and a royal heritage that can attract the world.
Enabling Laws and Environment
Eswatini’s Investment Promotion Act, Special Economic Zones Act, and Public-Private Partnership Policy create legal clarity and investor confidence. “We offer 100% foreign ownership, tax incentives, duty-free access to SADC and AfCFTA markets, and guarantees on repatriation of profits. “Political stability and rule of law are not just our national values – they are your business risk mitigation,” she said.
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About Ibhuma Business Dinner
Ibhuma Business Dinner is an exclusive, high-impact gathering designed to foster strategic dialogue, cross-sector collaboration, and ecosystem alignment around the shared mission of advancing entrepreneurship and SMME development in Eswatini and South Africa.
It brings together C-suite executives, policymakers, development partners, and leading entrepreneurs from the two countries in a refined, solution-oriented setting. It also connects startups with potential investors, corporates and their South African counterparts – creating a pipeline of deals and partnerships that support Eswatini’s aspiration for an export-driven economy.
Read more about us www.pinacoandco.com / www.bracefield.com
