Eswatini expands smart city programme to Manzini and Matsapha under new Taiwan agreement
Date: 2026-03-18
By: Nana Appiah Acquaye
The
Ministry of ICT Eswatini has signed a new
agreement with the Republic of China (Taiwan)
to expand the country’s smart city programme to Manzini and Matsapha, marking a
further step in its digital transformation agenda.
The Memorandum of Understanding was signed by ICT
Minister Savannah Maziya and Wu Li-Siou, Chairperson of International
Integrated Systems Inc. (IISI), on the sidelines of the 2026 Smart City Summit
and Expo held in Taipei and Kaohsiung. The project is fully funded by the
Government of Taiwan.
The expansion builds on the
successful pilot of the 5G Government Network Smart City Project launched in
April 2025 in Mbabane. The next phase will extend smart technologies to Manzini
and Matsapha, including scalable surveillance systems, traffic management
solutions, and tools to enhance public safety and emergency response.
Officials indicated that the smart
camera systems will support improved traffic flow, incident response, and crime
prevention, while also allowing for integration of additional features as urban
needs evolve.
The
initiative forms part of Eswatini’s broader “Government in Your Hand”
programme, which aims to bring digital services closer to citizens and foster a
more connected and efficient society. Authorities noted that the programme will
be gradually expanded to other regions as part of ongoing efforts to modernise
infrastructure, improve service delivery, and support economic growth through
technology.
