Eswatini to host 3rd Family Business Summit in September

The third Family Business Summit is scheduled to take place on September 24, 2026, at the Happy Valley Hotel in Ezulwini, Eswatini. Under the theme ‘Building Resilient Legacies: Embracing a Multi-Generational Mindset,’ the event aims to address critical challenges facing family-owned enterprises.

Dr. Sikhomba Gumbi, Chief Executive of REDI, stated that the summit focuses on best practices and governance arrangements to help businesses survive beyond the life of their founders and create intergenerational wealth. This is intended to combat the trend of local family businesses struggling to maintain growth or survive following a founder's death.

Mluleki S. Dlamini, Director for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade, highlighted that these businesses are vital to Eswatini’s economy, contributing to employment, innovation, and community development. Dlamini noted that succession planning and access to finance remain significant hurdles for the sector.