By 
By Delisa Magagula
Eswatini Mobile has announced plans to invest millions of Emalangeni into the country’s creative industry through the sponsorship of music shows, live events, and other artistic projects.
The announcement follows the company’s recent sponsorship of gospel artist Nothando Hlophe’s live recording, which was held earlier this year. The event marked the beginning of what the company described as a long-term commitment to the development of the arts sector.
Speaking during the live recording Eswatini Mobile Chief Executive Officer Sydney Sichula said the investment would extend to various areas of the creative industry, including music, theatre, and visual arts.
He said the pilot project with Nothando Hlophe had shown the impact of corporate sponsorship in the arts.
He said the company planned to sponsor more artists and events, and was in the process of developing a strategy that would include partnerships with venues, mentorship programmes, and funding initiatives for emerging talent.
Sichula said, “We want to invest in the creative heartbeat of this nation. This pilot with Nothando’s live recording was a test case we’ve seen the impact and now plan to extend that support across films, theatre, visual arts, and interactive media.”
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He stated that the arts sector in Eswatini had long been underfunded and that Eswatini Mobile wanted to play a role in closing that gap.
He explained that the investment would be directed toward both large-scale productions and small community projects.
He said the company would allocate several million Emalangeni each year toward the initiative, which would be rolled out in phases.
He also said the company was engaging with local artists and creative stakeholders to ensure the support reached a wide range of people.
Sichula said the company believed in building what he described as pipelines that would help young artists grow and connect with larger audiences.
He said this included providing funding for live shows, studio recordings, mentorship programmes, and national promotion.
He said, “We’re not just writing cheques. We’re building pipelines so that an artist from Mbabane or Mhlambanyatsi sees a clear, supported path to grow and connect, regionally and globally.”
The CEO said they had already received and seen nterest from other artists following the sponsorship of Nothando Hlophe’s live recording.
He said the company was reviewing proposals and would be announcing further sponsorships in the coming months.
He said Eswatini Mobile would also work with event organisers and festivals to ensure that artists received support for logistics, venues, production, and marketing.
According to Sichula, the company’s plan includes sponsorships in both rural and urban areas, with a focus on young and emerging artists.
He said the company was working on a set of criteria to guide the sponsorship process, including artistic merit, social impact, and feasibility.
In May, Eswatini Mobile proudly took the lead as the title sponsor of Nothando Hlophe’s live album recording ‘A New Dawn’ with a groundbreaking E500,000 sponsorship.
This was a first of its kind in Eswatini. The exciting announcement was made during the official launch of the event,
The CEO their brand will be defined as much by what they build in the minds and imaginations of people as by what they deliver in connectivity and coverage.
He also said Eswatini Mobile was committed to transparency and fairness in how it rolled out the arts investment, and was consulting with stakeholders in the arts industry to ensure that the process was inclusive.
The CEO said the company believed the creative economy could contribute to national development and that investing in the arts was part of building a more connected society.
He said Eswatini Mobile’s investment in the arts was a way to connect with its customers in a meaningful way and support the cultural identity of Eswatini.
Nothando Hlophe’s live recording, which was sponsored by the company, took place in front of a large audience and featured original songs, live band performances, and guest artists. It was one of the first major gospel events to receive private sector backing in recent years.
Hlophe, who has been active in the music industry for over a decade, thanked Eswatini Mobile for supporting her vision. She said the support had allowed her to produce a high-quality show and connect with her audience in a new way.
She said the experience showed that public-private partnerships could help artists realise their dreams and bring professionalism to the industry.
Other artists who attended the event said the sponsorship was a positive step and encouraged more companies to follow suit.
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The Eswatini National Council of Arts and Culture (ENCAC) welcomed the announcement and said it hoped the move would inspire other companies to invest in the creative economy.
An official from ENCAC, who spoke during the event, said corporate sponsorships could help sustain the industry and create employment opportunities for young people.
The official said the council would work closely with Eswatini Mobile to provide guidance and connect the company with artists in different regions of the country.
Eswatini Mobile said it planned to host a series of workshops in the coming months where artists could learn more about how to apply for sponsorship and receive business training.
Sichula said the company would monitor the progress of the funded projects and share impact reports to track the results.
He said the vision was to support not only performances and recordings but also the infrastructure around the creative sector, such as sound engineers, set designers, videographers, and creative directors.
He said, “We’re convinced that supporting the arts nourishes that collective identity through storytelling, song, and shared creative expression.”
Eswatini Mobile said it expected to announce its second round of sponsorships before the end of the year. The company said more information would be released through its official platforms, and that it would continue to highlight sponsored projects as part of its campaign to promote the arts in Eswatini.
