Eli Khoza was beaming with joy after being crowned the Lubombo Regional Winner of the Entrepreneur of the Year Awards (EYA) 2026 yesterday.
Her win caps a remarkable journey built on determination, innovation and a passion for agribusiness.
Khoza, the founder of Eli Olivia, emerged as the region’s overall winner while also claiming the Regional Outstanding Agribusiness Award at the ceremony held in Siteki. She walked away with two award certificates and a cash prize of E10 000 in recognition of her contribution to agriculture and enterprise development.
The cattle breeder, who manages a herd of more than 100 cattle, has built a diversified agribusiness that includes livestock production, beans and maize cultivation, as well as dairy and beef production.
Her latest achievement follows her recognition last year as an outstanding woman farmer, further strengthening her position as one of the kingdom’s emerging agricultural entrepreneurs.
“This makes me very happy and fires me on to continue with my work so that I can be an inspiration to other women,” Khoza said.
She encouraged local women to pursue income-generating opportunities, saying even limited resources such as land and water could be transformed into sustainable livelihoods.
Khoza thanked the Small Enterprises Development Company (SEDCO), FNB Eswatini and other organisations for supporting small businesses, particularly in the agribusiness sector.
Programme’s 20th anniversary
The Lubombo Regional EYA ceremony formed part of the programme’s 20th anniversary edition held under the theme, ‘20 Years of Nurturing Future Growth’.
The event recognised entrepreneurs across different sectors, highlighting the contribution of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to economic growth.
Women entrepreneurs featured strongly among this year’s Lubombo participants, accounting for 73% of applications, reflecting their growing role in driving business activity in the region.
Khoza will now advance as a representative of Lubombo on the national EYA platform, where she will compete among leading entrepreneurs from other regions in the kingdom.
Lubombo Regional EYA 2026 Winners
| Category | Winner | Business Name |
|---|---|---|
| Regional Winner | Eli Khoza | Eli Olivia |
| Regional Outstanding Youth-Owned Business | Cyprian Mfundo Mdluli | Efence Investments |
| Regional Outstanding Woman-Owned Business | Thembie Nothando Dlamini | MBT Farmers Trade |
| Regional Outstanding Agribusiness | Eli Khoza | Eli Olivia |
| Regional Outstanding Handcraft Business | Ncamsile Maseko | Ncami’s Hand Design |
| Regional Outstanding Street Vendor | Bennitta Henwood | The Pastry Deluxe Restaurant |
| Regional Outstanding Start-up | Meshack Hlophe | Jojo Grocery |
WOMEN DRIVE LUBOMBO ENTREPRENEURIAL RISE
Women entrepreneurs dominated Lubombo’s 2026 Entrepreneur of the Year Awards entries, accounting for 73% of applications.
Speaking at the Lubombo Regional EYA Awards ceremony, held as part of the programme’s 20th anniversary edition under the theme ‘20 Years of Nurturing Future Growth’, SEDCO Chief Executive Officer Khethiwe Mhlanga said the strong participation of women entrepreneurs demonstrated the growing role of women in driving economic activity in the region.
A total of 87 entrepreneurs from Lubombo submitted applications for this year’s EYA programme, compared to 103 applications received last year.
Mhlanga said the lower number was a deliberate decision by SEDCO to encourage participation from businesses that were prepared to compete, be judged against their peers and meet the programme’s standards.
“This remains a competition,” Mhlanga said, explaining that the focused applicant pool reflected the strong entrepreneurial drive and commitment within the region.
Of the 87 Lubombo applicants, 64 were female entrepreneurs, making the region the most women-led entrepreneurial area in the national EYA programme this year.
Mhlanga said micro, small and medium enterprises remain central to local economic growth and job creation, describing them as the backbone of communities through their contribution to innovation, local talent development and livelihoods.
The entrepreneurial landscape in Lubombo showed strong activity across several sectors. Business services recorded the highest number of applications with 29, followed by retail with 22 and agriculture with 17.
The figures also highlighted the dominance of micro enterprises in the region’s economy. Formal micro enterprises accounted for 44 applications, while informal micro enterprises contributed 31 applications. Small enterprises recorded four applications, while one medium enterprise participated.
According to Mhlanga, the statistics reinforce SEDCO’s commitment to supporting the growth and formalisation of MSMEs.
She said SEDCO continues to provide practical support to entrepreneurs through financial management training, marketing and compliance support, business advisory services, mentorship, incubation for start-ups and market linkages that connect businesses to customers and supply chains.
The EYA programme, she said, represents this commitment by identifying and recognising outstanding entrepreneurs while creating opportunities beyond prize money.
Mhlanga also highlighted SEDCO’s move to decentralise services closer to communities, including all Tinkhundla, as well as initiatives such as the Ingelo Certification Scheme aimed at encouraging innovation and opening new growth opportunities.
She encouraged entrepreneurs who did not win awards to continue strengthening their businesses, noting that reaching the regional stage itself was an achievement that would expose them to further capacity-building opportunities.
She pointed to the success of the 2025 Entrepreneur of the Year, Duncan Dlamini of DJD Investments, who was recognised before His Majesty King Mswati III and continues to represent the country’s entrepreneurial potential.
Mhlanga said SEDCO remains committed to His Majesty’s vision of producing the first billionaire by developing entrepreneurs and creating market opportunities that allow businesses to grow sustainably.
The CEO also thanked corporate partners supporting the 20th anniversary edition of EYA, particularly FNB Eswatini and the FNB Foundation, whose combined investment of over E2 million is funding the grand prize vehicle and cash prizes across all regions.
She further recognised ENPF, Taiwan ICDF and FINCORP for their continued partnership, while applauding the EYA judging panel for ensuring the integrity and credibility of the competition.
Mhlanga concluded by congratulating all entrepreneurs participating in the Lubombo Regional Awards, saying their success contributes directly to the country’s economic future.
“Let us continue celebrating 20 years of nurturing future growth,” she said.
