STANDARD Bank continues to drive sustainable economic growth and supporting private sector-led investment in the country.
The bank injected E500 000 sponsorship towards the Eswatini Investment Conference (EIC), which further positions the country as a credible, stable and attractive destination for strategic investment.
Standard Bank Head of Corporate and Investment Banking Barry Shutzler noted that this was the second time they participated as one of the major sponsors of the conference.
He said they started last year and continued in that vein, sponsoring the investment conference, strengthening its commitment to catalysing sustainable economic growth and accelerating private-sector-led investment.
This was during the sponsorship announcement at Standard Bank Headquarters in Mbabane yesterday.
EIC 2026 will be held on May 22, and is anchored in the theme ‘Connecting capital with opportunity’, ethos that align with Standard Bank’s purpose.
The bank’s partnership further builds on the momentum established by the inaugural EIC 2025, which successfully positioned Eswatini as a stable and credible investment destination.
Shutzler said they did not take the collaboration lightly as it was very important for the growth of the country; to develop commercial and financial links, encourage investors to come into the country and invest locally, so that the country becomes the ‘Mauritius of Southern Africa’.
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He said the conference was important on the calendar in terms of foreign direct investment (FDI) into the country, and they wanted to play their part in that.
“Over the past few years, you have seen that we have been playing our part, especially on the renewable energy side.
“From our perspective as a bank; Africa is our home, we drive her growth. Locally, Eswatini is our home we drive its growth,” said Shutzler.
Head of Business and Commercial Banking Mlamuli Hlatshwayo said they considered things such as direct investment as the country faces issues such as youth unemployment with graduates at home with no jobs.
He emphasised that they stood behind the investment conference, and their role as a business and commercial unit was to support the familiarised businesses and some of the mid-size companies.
The Eswatini Investment Conference is a flagship platform that convenes government leadership, global investors, development finance institutions (DFIs), project promoters, and private-sector partners.
The conference showcases and unlocks capital-ready opportunities across key growth sectors, including industrialisation and strategic economic zones, water, mining and critical infrastructure, agriculture and manufacturing and innovative financing models and public-private partnerships (PPPs).
“Standard Bank is proud to serve as the lead investment banking partner for EIC 2026. Our role is clear: to connect sovereign priorities with institutional capital, structure viable projects and help transform opportunities into bankable, fundable transactions.
As part of its strategic role at EIC 2026, Standard Bank will lead high-value engagements with regional and international investors, facilitate structured government investor dialogue, host targeted B2B and B2G meetings, provide senior-level thought leadership throughout the programme,” the bank said.
