Eswatini E-Commerce National Strategy

The Project at A Glance

International Economics, through its CEO, is supporting the Kingdom of Eswatini in the formulation of an E-Commerce Strategy for Eswatini, which will enable the development of a digital economy and enhance the overall growth of the country. The strategy will aim to address barriers that affect the adoption of e-commerce and limit e-commerce growth in the country.

The project is being implemented through the International Trade Centre (ITC), and is an outcome of an E-Commerce Readiness Assessment project implemented in 2023 within the Africa RISE facility, which was also led by our CEO, Paul Baker.

What We Found

Eswatini is advancing digital trade and e-commerce through ICT policy reforms and business environment improvements that encourage competition among telecom operators. However, Eswatini lags behind the African average in ICT infrastructure, regulatory environment, and access. To address these gaps, collaboration between the government, regulators, and the private sector is essential. The government has introduced support for MSMEs, including grants, incubators, innovation labs, training, and tax incentives, alongside legal reforms to strengthen e-commerce frameworks and facilitate cross-border trade.

Recommendations from an e-commerce assessment conducted in 2023 emphasized the need for a dedicated e-commerce strategy. In this context, International Economics will support the Kingdom of Eswatini in formulating an E-commerce Strategy.

Our Strategy and Impact

International Economics will engage key stakeholders across the subsectors of National Policies, Regulatory Environment, Physical Connectivity Infrastructure, Digital Infrastructure, Skills Development, Business, and Banking to better understand their roles in shaping an e-commerce policy. Building on recommendations from the E-Commerce Readiness Report and further analysis, the team will design an E-Commerce Strategy to guide Eswatini’s e-commerce ecosystem.

The strategy will outline policy and regulatory recommendations to drive e-commerce growth, define the roles and responsibilities of key stakeholders—including ministries, parastatals, government departments, and the private sector—and provide clear guidelines for implementation. Additionally, it will include an implementation roadmap with specific timelines and responsibilities. Finally, the strategy will be presented to relevant stakeholders for validation to ensure alignment and successful adoption.

Our Core Solutions

E-Commerce and digital trade are a vital way for businesses to transact with customers, creating immense opportunities, facilitate innovation, enhance competitiveness, and improve access in local and global markets.

International Economics provides advice and solutions on some of the latest emerging trends in e-commerce and digital trade such as paperless trading, e-payments, online consumer protection and data protection. We assist governments and businesses worldwide in creating an enabling environment for e-commerce and digital trade, to maximise economic growth and development.