MBABANE:The share of citizens who say Eswatini is going in the right direction has risen to four(4) in ten(10) three times the 2022 level, according to the latest Afrobarometer survey.
It has been reported that, more than half still believe the “country is moving in the wrong direction and fewer than one in five citizens” give the Government a passing grade on managing the economy, tackling poverty, creating jobs, keeping inflation in check and reducing income inequality.
But in August 2025, the Government of Eswatini announced the “Grand Plan”, a National Roadmap that aims to lift Eswatini to “developed-country” status in the next 30 years.
The Grand Plan, developed with input from young professionals in response to the Sibaya(People’s Parliament) National dialogue held in 2023, seeks to economically transform the country, among other things.
“Afrobarometer survey findings from April-May 2025 reveal that citizens voice concerns about Eswatini’s perceived economic challenges: Three-quarters describe the country’s economic condition as bad, while half of respondents say the economy has deteriorated over the past 12 months. Only three in 10 are optimistic that economic conditions will improve in the coming year. Majorities of Emaswati report experiencing a lack of income, food, cooking fuel, and medical care at least once during the previous year,”reads the Afrobarometer report in part.
King Mswati(Getty Images).