BY: PHESHEYA KUNENE | EDITOR
BIG BEND – Eswatini’s sugar industry is tightening ties with one of the world’s largest agro industrial groups as government pushes for expansion, investment and new export opportunities.
Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade Manqoba Khumalo this week met with executives from ABF Sugar during the company’s working visit to Eswatini, where discussions focused on sustaining investment and growing the country’s sugar industry.
ABF Sugar is the sugar and renewable energy division of Associated British Foods, a multinational food processing and retail group with operations across Europe and Africa. Through its subsidiary Illovo Sugar Africa, the company controls major sugar operations across Southern Africa, including Ubombo Sugar Limited in Big Bend.
The engagement comes at a time when Eswatini’s sugar industry remains one of the country’s biggest economic pillars, contributing about five percent to national Gross Domestic Product and more than 30 percent of agricultural output. The industry also supports thousands of direct and indirect jobs, particularly in rural communities linked to cane growing, transport and processing.
During the meeting, Khumalo thanked ABF Sugar for its continued investment and confidence in Eswatini, saying the company had played a major role in strengthening industrial growth, export earnings and employment creation.
The Minister further reaffirmed government’s commitment to maintaining a conducive business environment aimed at supporting long term sustainability and expansion within the sector.
The discussions also highlighted efforts to modernise Eswatini’s sugar industry amid increasing pressure on global sugar markets, rising production costs and changing trade dynamics.
Also present during the engagement was Muzi Siyaya, the Managing Director of Ubombo Sugar Limited and recently appointed Chairperson of the Eswatini Investment Promotion Authority Board.
Siyaya said strengthening relations with ABF Sugar would help unlock new markets, deepen investment and create further opportunities for Eswatini’s sugar industry.
His growing influence within both the sugar and investment sectors reflects his expanding role in Eswatini’s industrial development agenda. Since taking over leadership at Ubombo Sugar around 2022, Siyaya has overseen major investment programmes, including the company’s multi billion emalangeni cogeneration expansion project aimed at increasing renewable energy production capacity from 17 megawatts to 40 megawatts.
The project is expected to improve operational efficiency while increasing electricity generation from bagasse, a by product of sugarcane processing used in renewable energy production.
Under Siyaya’s leadership, Ubombo Sugar has also intensified support for local contractors, smallholder growers and irrigation expansion projects linked to rural agricultural development.
On the sidelines of the recent Standard Bank Regional Sugar Summit held at Simunye Country Club, ABF Sugar Chief Executive Officer Paul Kenward reportedly reaffirmed the company’s long term commitment to Eswatini.
Kenward described Khumalo as “a thoroughly modern minister and a true partner to our business in Eswatini.”
He further noted that the relationship between the company and Eswatini continued to strengthen through cooperation, investment and shared industrial ambitions.
ABF Sugar currently holds a 60 percent stake in Ubombo Sugar Limited, while the remaining 40 percent is owned by Tibiyo TakaNgwane. Founded in 1956, Ubombo Sugar remains one of the country’s oldest and most influential agro industrial enterprises, producing an estimated 265 000 tonnes of sugar annually.
Industry analysts say continued investment from multinational groups such as ABF Sugar will remain critical as Eswatini seeks to improve competitiveness, diversify export markets and strengthen agro processing industries amid growing global competition.
The latest engagement also reflects government’s broader strategy of positioning Eswatini as an attractive destination for industrial investment and export driven growth.
