FNB unveils E586 591 car for EYA grand finale

FNB Eswatini has unveiled a Toyota Hilux valued at E586 591 as the grand prize for the 2026 Entrepreneur of the Year Awards (EYA).

The 2026 Toyota Hilux single cab 2.4 GD-6, inclusive of one year’s insurance, will go to the national winner when the awards conclude next week Wednesday, placing practical business support at the centre of FNB Eswatini’s entrepreneurship agenda.

Speaking at the grand prize reveal ceremony at the bank’s head office in Ezulwini yesterday, Chief Executive Officer Thokozani ‘TK’ Dlamini said mobility could help small and medium enterprises (SMEs) improve customer service, respond to market demands and expand their operations.

“Our continued investment into EYA and in turn, this grand prize is underpinned by our unshakable belief that when we carefully and sustainably invest in Eswatini’s SMEs, we are building a solid foundation for our economy to grow,” Dlamini said.

The vehicle continues FNB’s support for the awards, which recognise local entrepreneurs and their contribution to economic activity.

The bank, together with the FNB Eswatini Foundation, is the key sponsor of the initiative, working alongside the Small Enterprises Development Company (SEDCO) and the ministry of commerce, industry and trade.

The prize follows a similar commitment in previous editions. In 2025 and 2024, the overall winners received a Toyota Hilux single cab valued at E600 000, while the 2023 winner received a Toyota GD6 single-cab vehicle worth more than E560 000.

Beyond the vehicle announcement, Dlamini signalled that the bank intends to use feedback from entrepreneurs to shape its future SME support. FNB hosted SME Growth Forums between July and August, gathering insights into the challenges and assistance businesses need.

He said the feedback would influence the bank’s lending, advisory support and products in the coming weeks and months, pointing to a needs-based approach rather than a one-size-fits-all model.

“We firmly believe that help must be practical. Our people must be able to easily access it and feel its effect on their lives,” Dlamini said.

The CEO linked SME development to broader economic benefits, including job creation and improved access to affordable goods and services.

He said FNB was prepared to partner with entrepreneurs throughout their growth journeys, arguing that stronger businesses contribute to national development.

Four regional winners are now competing for the national title and the vehicle, with the winner to be announced at the awards ceremony at a venue yet to be announced by the ministry of commerce, industry and trade.

TRANSPORT COSTS FUEL HILUX HOPES

TRANSPORT costs running into thousands of Emalangeni are weighing on businesses competing for the 2026 EYA, making the grand prize a potentially valuable business asset.

During interviews on the sidelines of the grand prize reveal ceremony at FNB Eswatini’s head office, contenders and their representatives said winning the Toyota Hilux would help reduce expenses, improve operational efficiency and strengthen their ability to serve customers.

Dumsile Simelane of Melane Leather Eswatini said she currently relied on courier services and hired vehicles to transport her products.

Access to suitable transport would help the business manage deliveries more efficiently while reducing its dependence on external service providers.

Notsa Eswatini representative Sithembiso Mabuza said the company was still at its infancy and did not have appropriate transport.

He explained that a Hilux would help the business move materials when travelling to different destinations, instead of relying on hired vehicles that cost thousands of Emalangeni.

For Lubombo agribusiness company owner Olivia Eli Khoza, the vehicle would support the business’s agricultural activities, including crop production and dairy sales.

Transporting agricultural inputs and produce requires frequent trips, adding to operating costs. Khoza said hiring transport to move manure from Big-Bend to Siteki cost no less than E500.

“I do a lot of things, like crop production and selling dairy, and so there are several trips that have to be made in one day. Winning the Hilux would cut the costs,” she said.

Bongani Maphalala, representing EPOWER Hardware founder Hlobisile Dlamini, said the business sometimes spent up to E15 000 on transportation alone.

The company sources stock from outside the country and frequently relies on courier services, whose delivery delays can affect its ability to serve customers. Maphalala said owning the Hilux would reduce transportation expenses and improve the reliability of stock deliveries.

The financial considerations were accompanied by visible excitement at the ceremony, as the contenders and their representatives gathered around the brand-new vehicle, displayed in FNB’s colours in the bank’s parking area. They posed for photographs beside the Hilux, each hoping to be the one driving it home on October 21.

FNB Eswatini CEO Thokozani ‘TK’ Dlamini also joined SEDCO CEO Khethiwe Mhlanga and MSME Director Mluleki Dlamini for photographs beside the vehicle.

For the four contenders, the prize represents more than a means of transport.

It offers the prospect of lower operating costs, improved logistics and greater capacity to grow their businesses.

The four EYA 2026 contenders:

1. Lubombo Agribusiness – (Lubombo region): Agribusiness, including cattle farming for dairy and beef production, as well as maize and bean cultivation. The business is owned by Olivia Eli Khoza.

2. Melane Leather Eswatini – (Hhohho region): Handcrafted leather products, specialising in premium leather goods. The business is owned by Dumsile Nobuhle Simelane.

3. Notsa Eswatini – (Manzini region): Traditional Swati attire, produced and marketed under its Imihelwane and Tidvwashi brands. The business is owned by Wandile Dlamini.

4. EPOWER Hardware – (Shiselweni region): Hardware supplies, operating from Nhlangano CBD. The business is owned by Hlobsile Dlamini.

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