The importance of this sector to Eswatini’s growth trajectory is echoed time and again at the highest levels. His Majesty King Mswati III declared that the nation “cannot afford to be left behind”, and a Cabinet statement deemed ICT-adoption and the promoting of technology-integration “crucial going forward”. For the 2022/23 fiscal year, government allocated E360.7-million to the Ministry of ICT which is tasked with “improving the performance of this fast-developing sector” and harness the benefits of the digital economy.
Internet connectivity has been rolled out to well over a hundred peri-urban and rural secondary and high schools, more than a dozen Tinkhundla centres and scores of health facilities. Government has also initiated a ‘One Laptop Per Child’ project that will see earmarked rural schools each receive 45 devices.
The King expressed his wish that through the availability of high-quality, reliable and affordable technologies, the country should endeavour to derive the full benefits thereof in order to become an informed society. His Majesty gave an assurance that government will continue the process of providing free Wi-Fi hotspots in strategic public places such as schools, Tinkhundla centres and points of entry into the kingdom.