In Eswatini, as in much of Africa, most small businesses define themselves by the term ‘side hustle’.
The side hustle is more than a buzzword—it is a daily reality for millions who rely on multiple income streams to make ends meet, support their families and pursue financial independence in a challenging economic environment.
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Across the continent, millions of people sell handmade goods, offer informal transport services, or manage social media accounts in their spare time. These ventures are often not driven by ambition, but by necessity. They are shaped by high unemployment, slow job creation and systemic economic exclusion.
Yet what began as a survival strategy for many is now proving to be a major economic opportunity. These side hustles are no longer just a temporary fix—they are engines of creativity and self-determination. But for this shift to fully take root, a change in mindset is needed. Africa must stop viewing the hustle purely as a symptom of poverty and start seeing it as a platform for economic growth.
THE LIMITS OF THE SIDE HUSTLE LABEL
The term ‘side hustle’ points to a deeper and limiting bias. It suggests impermanence—a fallback plan rather than a serious enterprise. It implies something done in the shadows of a ‘real job’, even when that job may not exist, as is the case for many across the African continent. This perception is not only outdated, but is also self-defeating.
If we are to unlock the full potential of Africa’s informal economy, we must urgently reframe the side hustle narrative. On closer inspection, these ventures are not casual experiments. They represent the early stages of what could become scalable, sustainable businesses. What holds them back is not lack of ambition, but inadequate support, limited access to investment and the absence of the infrastructure needed to grow and formalise.
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What is clearly notable is that many entrepreneurs remain stuck in the hustle phase—not because they lack vision, but because the systems essential to their growth simply are not in place. If we are serious about unlocking economic potential at both national and continental levels, we must recalibrate our approach to these infant enterprises.
SURVIVAL SHOULD NoT BE THE ENDGAME
In Africa, economic discourse often romanticises perseverance. The side hustle is praised as a badge of honour—proof of resilience in the face of adversity. While this resilience deserves recognition, we must ask this critical question: is survival the best we can offer?
Survival should not be the end goal. A survival mindset, while necessary in the short-term, limits long-term vision. It keeps entrepreneurs in reactive mode—making just enough to get by, but never enough to plan or invest in growth and to make meaningful impact in the economy.
To break this cycle, we must encourage a shift toward a visionary mindset—not just from entrepreneurs, but also from broader stakeholders. Every side hustle must be seen as a legitimate business in its early stages.
This shift requires more than praise or statistics. It demands strategic support:this means access to mentorship, affordable finance suited to micro-enterprises, streamlined registration processes and the digital tools essential for modern businesses.
ESWATINI: A NATION OF HUSTLERS WITH POTENTIAL
In Eswatini, for instance, a small landlocked nation of just over 1.2 million people, the promise and challenges of Africa’s side hustle economy are clearly visible. With youth unemployment around 56%, many young people turn to informal business not as a fallback, but as a first option—highlighting the urgent need for focused support on this sector. In urban centres like Mbabane and Manzini, it is common to find youth running mobile barber shops, selling street food via WhatsApp, or offering design services using basic smartphones. Most of these businesses operate with little more than creativity, work ethic and makeshift marketing.
However, they also operate outside the formal economy—with no access to business services, formal accounting or collateral for loans. Few are registered and many remain invisible to policymakers and financiers. This must change.
The creation of the Eswatini Youth Chamber of Commerce reflects the growing desire by youth entrepreneurs to be heard.
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Government initiatives like the Youth Enterprise Revolving Fund and the Regional Development Fund are steps in the right direction.
But these programmes are often underfunded and wrapped in bureaucracy.
The gap between policy ambitions and real access is still far too wide.
What if government introduced a low-cost, simplified registration process for micro-businesses? What if it provided free business literacy training through community centres and worked with mobile banks to provide performance-linked micro-loans tailored for micro-businesses? The potential impact could be transformative—for individual entrepreneurs and for the national economy.
FROM THE SHADOWS TO THE CENTRE
Africa’s informal economy is massive. According to the African Development Bank, over 80% of the continent’s employment is informal. This is not a fringe sector—it is the backbone of the economy. Yet we continue to treat these entrepreneurs as peripheral, which is both unfair and unproductive. Imagine the growth that could be unlocked if just a portion of informal entrepreneurs were supported to formalise and scale.
Formalisation means access to capital, protection and proper classification under the law and visibility in national statistics.
Many young entrepreneurs want to formalise, but the transition is often seen as costly, punitive and complex. Yet it must be the opposite—enabling, supportive and beneficial. Currently, the formal system is riddled with what many infant businesses perceive as heavy taxation, high start-up costs, bureaucracy and red tape—pushing many back into the informal economy. To unlock side hustle potential, we need smart, flexible policies that ease this transition.
Redefining the side hustle means building an ecosystem that can sustain and elevate it.
Every aspiring entrepreneur must feel that entering the formal system will lead to growth, not failure. Policy reforms are also essential. Simplifying business registration, reducing startup taxes and investing in business incubators are all vital. So is expanding digital infrastructure across underserved areas. Initiatives like the new digital lab in Ezulwini are a promising start—but more access is needed countrywide.
Financial institutions must also step up—offering quick, small loans with flexible repayment terms and mobile integration. Educational institutions should make entrepreneurship a core subject, not an extra curricular activity. Drawing from models in Kenya and South Africa, Eswatini can create university entrepreneurship centres to foster local innovation.
The private sector must also evolve. Rather than seeing small entrepreneurs as charity cases, large firms should treat them as partners—through supplier deals, co-branding and training platforms.
THE WAY FORWARD: FROM HUSTLE TO ENTERPRISE
To truly elevate small businesses, cultural perceptions must also shift. Media and community leaders should celebrate grassroots entrepreneurs—not just for surviving, but for building something of value. Entrepreneurship must be seen as a first-choice career path, not a backup plan.
Many of Africa’s admired businesses started as side hustles—from tech start-ups in Lagos, to fashion brands in Kigali, to Eswatini’s top internet service companies. What separates these success stories from failed ventures is not talent—it is support, all round support.
We cannot keep romanticising the hustle while ignoring the barriers it faces. Passion and hard work are vital—but they are not enough.
Africans stand at an inflection point. It can continue to overlook its most valuable entrepreneurial assets, or it can choose to empower them—deliberately and meaningfully.
CONCLUSION
The hustle must evolve—into the backbone of formal economies, the starting point for SMEs and the foundation for innovation. This evolution must be intentional—with sustained administrative, regulatory and political support. If we are serious about reducing unemployment, closing inequality gaps and achieving inclusive growth, we must build the scaffolding that supports side hustles to become thriving enterprises.
The next big African brand is likely already out there—in a street market in Eswatini, a township in Johannesburg, or a youth-run workshop in Kampala.
It is time to rewrite the side hustle narrative. And it starts with giving these ventures the recognition, tools and 360-degree support they need to rise. When they finally rise, Africa’s economy will be dramatically transformed.
Until next week
Eswatini Observer Press Reader
