By: Nkosiyabusa Nsibande
The people have spoken, and the 2026 Made in Eswatini® Consumer Choice Awards has officially unveiled its nominees across 20 categories, marking another milestone in Eswatini’s growing consumer-led movement to recognise, celebrate and support local excellence.
The nominees were identified through an extensive consumer nomination process conducted between 12 July and 12 August 2026, which generated more than 260 entries from consumers across the Kingdom. Following the launch of the foundational Made in Eswatini® definition, a total of 194 products, brands, services and experiences successfully made the final nominee list.
The definition, launched by Her Royal Highness Princess Sakhizwe on 10 July 2026, establishes a clearer standard for what can legitimately carry the Made in Eswatini® identity. It defines Made in Eswatini® as products, services, experiences and designs that have been genuinely created, produced, transformed or delivered from Eswatini by responsible enterprises.
According to Melusi Zox Dlamini, Chairman of A Peculiar People, the organisation behind the awards, the nomination process demonstrates that consumers are becoming increasingly aware of their influence in shaping the future of local enterprise.
“This is an awards programme driven by the consumer. They have nominated the brands they buy, the experiences they enjoy, the businesses they trust and the products they believe deserve to be celebrated,” said Dlamini.
The 2026 awards span a wide section of Eswatini’s emerging consumer economy, covering areas including food and agriculture, fashion, technology, tourism, manufacturing, creativity and personal brands. Among the strongest fields this year are Tourism, Fashion, Health & Wellness, Personal Brands and Event Experiences, with each attracting more than 10 nominated brands.
The breadth of the nominations points to a local consumer economy that is becoming increasingly diverse, while also highlighting the growing number of businesses and entrepreneurs competing for consumer attention across different sectors.
NOW THE CONSUMER DECIDES
With the nominees announced, the awards have now entered the public voting phase, placing the final decision directly in the hands of consumers. Voting opens on 14 August 2026 and closes on 16 September 2026, with each vote costing E1 through MTN MoMo. Consumers can cast their votes through www.madeineswatini.africa.
For A Peculiar People, consumer participation is central to the philosophy behind the awards. Dlamini said the initiative is deliberately structured to place the consumer and the actual brand at the centre of the process rather than the entrepreneur alone.
“A business can tell us that it is excellent. A marketing campaign can tell us that a product is the best. But ultimately, it is the consumer who decides where they spend their money, what they recommend and what they return to. The Consumer Choice Awards simply gives that voice a platform,” he said.
IMAGINE THE IMPACT
The 2026 awards were launched by the Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry, MP Manqoba Khumalo, and will culminate under the theme “Imagine the Impact.” The theme challenges Emaswati to consider what could be achieved if consumers, businesses, institutions and national leaders deliberately chose to support local excellence.
The awards ceremony is scheduled for Thursday, 17 September 2026, at Hilton Garden Inn. The event is being hosted with support from Hilton Garden Hotel and HOTAES, a partnership that highlights the role of the hospitality and tourism sector as an important market gateway for local products, services and experiences.
The Made in Eswatini® philosophy will also be reflected through this year’s fashion theme, with guests encouraged to “wear the future they wish to see” by embracing bold, sophisticated and inspiring local brands and designs. The organisers are encouraging attendees to showcase contemporary elegance, sustainable fashion, locally crafted accessories and distinctive designs as expressions of progress, possibility and national pride.
Now in its third year, the Made in Eswatini® Consumer Choice Awards forms part of the broader Made in Eswatini® Ecosystem, which seeks to strengthen consumer confidence and support for products and services produced and delivered locally.
As custodians of the Made in Eswatini® movement, A Peculiar People maintains that recognition must be accompanied by genuine market opportunities for local enterprises. The organisation says the 194 nominees represent a cross-section of what Eswatini is capable of producing, creating and delivering, while also reflecting entrepreneurs who have taken risks, created employment, built brands and continued investing in their businesses.
“These 194 nominees are a snapshot of what Eswatini is capable of producing, creating and delivering. They represent entrepreneurs who have taken risks, created jobs, built brands and continued to believe in this Kingdom,” said the organisation.
A Peculiar People is therefore calling on consumers, entrepreneurs, business leaders, development partners, policymakers and institutions to participate in the awards by supporting the nominated businesses and casting their votes.
With voting now open, the initiative has shifted from nomination to consumer choice, giving Emaswati the opportunity to determine which of the country’s products, brands, services and experiences ultimately receive recognition at the 2026 Made in Eswatini® Consumer Choice Awards.
Voting opens on 14 August 2026 and closes on 16 September 2026.
