ESWATINI · AVIATION · INVESTMENT
Key Facts
- —The country Eswatini, formerly Swaziland, is a small landlocked kingdom between South Africa and Mozambique, ruled by King Mswati III. Its main international gateway is King Mswati III International Airport at Sikhuphe.
- —What happened The Eswatini Civil Aviation Authority (ESWACAA) is inviting investors into a special economic zone around the airport. It names agro-processing, pharmaceutical manufacturing, cargo logistics, renewable energy and waste management as target sectors.
- —The plan A draft ESWACAA strategy aims to attract E12 billion (about US$728 million) of investment and create 20,000 direct and indirect jobs by 2037. It also targets 1.2 million passengers a year.
- —The airport The site covers about 3,591 hectares, 50 km from Manzini, the largest city. Its 3,580-metre runway was built for wide-body jets such as the Boeing 747 and 777.
- —The catch ESWACAA had accumulated losses of E1.712 billion (about US$104 million) by 31 March 2024 and negative equity. Auditors warned that the government may have to inject more money.
- —For US readers The US African Growth and Opportunity Act, which gives eligible African goods duty-free access to the US market, now runs to 31 December 2028. The US State Department advises Americans to exercise increased caution in Eswatini due to crime and unrest.
- —Still open No incentive package, land terms, timetable or named investor has been published. ESWACAA’s website describes the zone as declared, while the latest pitch calls it proposed.
Eswatini’s civil aviation authority is inviting investors into a special economic zone around King Mswati III International Airport, pitching it for agro-processing, pharmaceutical plants, cargo logistics, solar power and waste management, the Times of Eswatini reported on Monday 19 October 2026. The authority, ESWACAA, wants to turn the airport at Sikhuphe, in the east of the country, into a hub for industry and air freight.
The pitch follows a business forum on Thursday 8 October where ESWACAA presented a draft strategy to attract E12 billion (about US$728 million) of investment and 20,000 jobs by 2037. Dollar figures in this article use 16.4881 emalangeni per US dollar, the South African rand’s closing rate on Friday 16 October, because the lilangeni is pegged one to one to the rand.
For US readers, the zone is a small but concrete test of whether a southern African state can turn an airport into an export platform while the US African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which gives eligible African countries duty-free access to the US market, runs until the end of 2028. It also comes from an authority whose own accounts show heavy losses, which matters to any foreign investor weighing a long-term lease.
What ESWACAA Is Offering
ESWACAA says the zone could host industrial plants, cargo terminals, cold storage and regional freight-forwarding businesses that need to be close to an airport. It singles out agro-processing and pharmaceutical manufacturing as growth areas, because both depend on fast, reliable and often temperature-controlled transport.
The authority is also seeking investors for solar farms to power the airport and future tenants, and for a sanitary landfill and recycling plants. Business Development Manager Richard Dlamini set out the wider plan at the 8 October forum, held at the offices of Business Eswatini, the country’s main business association.
The draft strategy, which ESWACAA calls an Inclusive Business Development Strategy Framework, aims for 1.2 million passengers a year and for non-aviation income to make up 65% of revenue. It also targets 100% renewable electricity for airport operations and 40% of the authority’s addressable spending going to local small businesses.
An Airport Built for Big Jets
According to ESWACAA, the airport site covers about 3,591 hectares and lies 50 km from Manzini, the country’s largest city. Its single 3,580-metre runway was designed for wide-body aircraft such as the Boeing 747 and 777, while the terminal is sized for 300 passengers at peak hour.
The cargo terminal is a non-automated building of 1,000 square metres with chilled and perishable stores. ESWACAA’s website states that the land around the airport has already been declared a special economic zone, intended for offices, hotels, high-tech industry, medical facilities and retail.
Eswatini’s Special Economic Zones Act of 2018 lists declared zones in a schedule, lets the commerce minister set or revoke their limits and licenses developers that are registered in the country and hold land or premises inside them. The law aims to draw foreign and domestic investment, transfer technology and promote exports.
The Money Behind the Airport
The authority’s finances are weak, according to the Auditor General’s compliance audit for the year to 31 March 2024. It found accumulated losses of E1.712 billion (about US$104 million), negative equity and a risk that the government would have to inject further funds.
ESWACAA’s chief financial officer, Gugu Mdluli, told parliament’s Public Accounts Committee in July that the losses come mainly from depreciation of costly airport assets rather than overspending. Japan, through the UN Development Programme, granted US$693,333 in July for a project to make the airport greener and more digital.
What It Means for US Readers
AGOA now runs to 31 December 2028 after President Donald Trump signed a two-year extension into law in early September as part of a stopgap US spending act. Whether exporters in the airport zone could use it depends on Eswatini’s AGOA eligibility, which Washington reviews every year.
ESWACAA’s pitch names no investors, American or otherwise, and it has not published the tax incentives or land terms on offer. For US firms in cold-chain logistics, pharmaceuticals or solar power, those terms will decide whether the zone is worth a closer look.
For American visitors and business travellers, the US State Department advises exercising increased caution in Eswatini due to crime and unrest, its Level 2 rating. The national airline, Eswatini Air, flies regional routes and launched a direct service to Lusaka, Zambia, in April 2026.
What Is Not Known
ESWACAA has not published an incentive package, a timetable, land prices or the legal status of the zone under the 2018 act. Its website says the zone has been declared, while the 19 October pitch describes it as proposed.
It is also not known how many passengers and how much cargo the airport handles today, or how the E12 billion investment target would be financed. The draft strategy still has to be adopted, and the government has not said whether it will cover ESWACAA’s losses.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Eswatini airport special economic zone?
It is a zone around King Mswati III International Airport at Sikhuphe that ESWACAA wants to fill with industry and logistics. Target sectors include agro-processing, pharmaceuticals, cargo handling, solar energy and waste management.
How much investment does Eswatini want?
ESWACAA’s draft strategy targets E12 billion (about US$728 million) by 2037. It also aims for 20,000 direct and indirect jobs.
Who runs King Mswati III International Airport?
The Eswatini Civil Aviation Authority (ESWACAA) runs the airport and also regulates aviation. It had accumulated losses of E1.712 billion (about US$104 million) by March 2024.
Can US investors take part?
Nothing in the published material excludes foreign investors, and the 2018 Special Economic Zones Act aims to attract them. ESWACAA has not yet published the incentives or land terms.
Is Eswatini safe for American travellers?
The US State Department rates Eswatini at Level 2 and advises increased caution due to crime and unrest. Travellers should check the latest advice before booking.
Sources: Eswatini Civil Aviation Authority, King Mswati III International Airport, Times of Eswatini, ESWACAA opens airport SEZ to investors, 19 October 2026, Times of Eswatini, ESWACAA eyes E12bn investment and 20,000 jobs by 2037, 9 October 2026, Times of Eswatini, ESWACAA not in ICU, 6 July 2026, Times of Eswatini, Japan grant for green airport project, 8 July 2026, Times of Eswatini, Eswatini Air launches direct Lusaka route, 2 April 2026, UNEP LEAP/FAOLEX, Eswatini Special Economic Zones Act, 2018, Kenya News Agency, AGOA extended to 31 December 2028, BusinessTech, AGOA extension signed into law, 3 September 2026, US Embassy in Eswatini, travel advisory. All retrieved 19 October 2026.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated newsroom system. How we use AI · Report an error · Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief