Eswatini Railways will invest E1 billion in a major expansion of its dry port in Matsapha, aiming to enhance logistics and support the country’s growing manufacturing and agricultural sectors.
Eswatini Railways Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Nixon Dlamini shared details of the ambitious project in an interview with Railways Africa Magazine, stating that the expansion would be in three phases.
The first phase involves extending the rail line to the outer perimeter, while the second phase will see the removal of the current CTA building to create additional space, the last phase would also include the construction of a new office and control centre.
Dlamini emphasised the importance of the Matsapha dry port, stating that, it was one of their major stations and the main gateway for import and export.
“It is strategically located in the heart of the country’s industrial area, which hosts numerous manufacturing industries,” he said.
With the growth in manufacturing and agriculture, the need for efficient transportation of goods had become critical.
Dlamini noted that products manufactured in the area required rail transport to reach sea ports, highlighting the port’s role in bulk logistics for local industries.
Originally established as a small facility in the 1990s, the dry port has grown significantly and is now a vital hub for the transportation of general goods, including major contributions from the sugar industry.
Dlamini highlighted that the sugar sector was one of their major customers.
“We are working closely with the government to explore further opportunities,” he added.
With the Eswatini Investment Conference starting tomorrow , Dlamini encouraged collaboration with private investors to bolster economic growth.
“We are an export-driven economy, and we welcome partnerships to enhance our capabilities,” he said.
The conference is designed to serve as a platform for dialogue, networking, and exploration of investment opportunities within Eswatini.
It is expected to showcase the country’s unique investment landscape and highlight sectors ripe for development.
The conference is aimed at attracting foreign direct and domestic direct investment into the country.
It is expected that key local, regional and global stakeholders will be in attendance.
Moreover government and private sector participants in Eswatini’s business community, including investors, financiers, economic development support institutions, financial intermediaries as well as policymakers unpack the value of Eswatini as an investment and trade destination.
The concept of the conference supports the strategic objective of positioning Eswatini as an attractive investment destination to the world and the preferred location from which to trade.
Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini, who launched the conference recently, said Eswatini was positioning itself to succeed in a more competitive and dynamic investment landscape worldwide.
“The conference marks one of our bold steps towards igniting the growth of Eswatini’s economy. As government we have set an ambitious target to accelerate the pace of our economic growth at 12 per cent by end of fiscal year 2029,” he said.
As part of achieving this target, they were implementing relevant programmes and policy strategies which were boldly outlined in the government programme of action for the period 2023 to 2028.
