By 
By Delisa Magagula
The digital economy in Africa is projected to contribute over E11.9 trillion (US$700 billion) to the continent’s gross domestic product (GDP) by 2050, marking a transformative shift in how nations create and sustain growth.
This was revealed by Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade, Manqoba Khumalo, during the Youth Chamber of Commerce and Industries Eswatini (YCCIE) and Southern African Customs Union (SACU) Digital Trade Summit held at the Eswatini International Trade Fair (EITF).
The summit brought together youth entrepreneurs, policy makers, and regional stakeholders to discuss how to leverage digital trade to boost growth, create employment, and advance regional integration.
In his keynote address, Khumalo highlighted the urgency of ensuring that youth and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are not excluded from the opportunities of the digital economy.
He described the session as more than a conference. Instead, it was a crossroads where youth ambition meets policy willpower, and where innovation becomes collaboration across SACU borders.
Khumalo stressed that the gathering should not be seen as an endpoint but as the beginning of a new alignment involving government, the private sector, development partners, and young people themselves.
He called for deliberate efforts to design programmes with the youth, provide funding for start-ups, and ensure young entrepreneurs are embedded in regional trade dialogues.
“Let this day be remembered as the point where the country’s MSMEs stopped waiting and started trading digitally, regionally and confidently. Together, let us build business networks that stretch beyond borders and define the Africa we all want to see,” he urged.
Khumalo underscored the importance of MSMEs, pointing out that across Eswatini and SACU neighbours, they constitute over 90% of registered businesses. He described them as the lifeblood of local economies but noted their ability to compete depends increasingly on access to digital tools and regional markets.
He further revealed that government was moving strategically to position Eswatini as a trade and technology connector within the SACU region.
This includes infrastructure investments, digitisation of permits, and harmonisation of trade policy to build a business environment where youth-led enterprises can scale.
“Young entrepreneurs from Eswatini are already pioneering solutions in areas such as cyber security, agri-tech, and e-commerce. But talent alone is not enough. We need ecosystems that provide access to finance, mentorship, digital training, and visibility across borders,” Khumalo said.
According to the minister, government is coordinating across multiple ministries Commerce, ICT, and Finance to update frameworks on data protection, mobile payment interoperability, and access to affordable digital infrastructure.
“This is our compact with the next generation: we will clear the path, and we will walk beside you,” he said, pledging government’s continued support.
Khumalo also praised platforms such as the SACU-YCCIE seminar, noting that they convert policy into dialogue, and dialogue into action.
“Regional integration is no longer only about physical borders but also about digital bridges, regulatory alignment, and shared opportunity,” he concluded.
The summit, hosted as part of the EITF, was attended by young entrepreneurs, SACU officials, and private sector leaders, all of whom echoed the call for a digitally inclusive future that empowers Africa’s youth and MSMEs.
