By  Tengetile G Hlophe and Thula Sizwe Dlamini This study maps the national system of innovation (NSI) in Eswatini using national research and experimental development (R&D), and innovation surveys. The study identifies the actors and activities in the NSI. It finds that investment in knowledge creation is very…

By  Mcebo Zikalala and Thabo Sacolo There is a growing body of literature about the drivers, size, and trends of the shadow economy. This paper quantifies the size and assesses the trends of the shadow economy in Eswatini over a period of 16 years. Using gross domestic product…

By  Mangaliso Mohammed and Thembumenzi Dlamini The study investigates the predictors of food insecurity among households in Eswatini given the 2015/16 El Niño induced drought. To identify the geographic and socioeconomic factors that predict food insecurity during a drought in Eswatini, the study uses a logistic regression. The…

By  Tanele Magongo and Thabo Sacolo Eswatini has been experiencing power outages that have muted the country’s efforts to increase access to electricity. As it stands, electricity supply is unreliable which has resulted in harsh penalties and costs to the economy. Using a sample of customers from both…

By  Nolwazi Hlophe The purpose of this paper is to undertake a causal analysis for Eswatini, which examines whether financial development causes increased financial inclusion. Through Engle & Granger (1987) cointegration analysis, the existence of a long run relationship between the dependent variable, financial inclusion, and the independent variables:…

By  Melvin Khomo, Nomfundo Mamba, and Luleme Matsebula Using the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) bounds testing cointegration method, the paper models the behaviour of Eswatini’s foreign exchange reserves over the period 1990-2014. An augmented buffer stock model is applied and the results indicate that foreign exchange reserves in…

By  Thabo Sacolo, Mangaliso Mohammed and Thembumenzi Dlamini Using data from 1968 to 2015, this paper presents an assessment of the evolution of trade in the Kingdom of Eswatini, tracking changes in the composition of both import and export commodities. These changes are viewed in light of…

By Gugulethu Mgabhi and Mangaliso Mohammed This study estimates the economic benefits of the Government of Eswatini and its development partners’ investment into the National Handicraft Training Centre (NHTC). Using NHTCs student database from 1995 to 2015, the study tracks graduates from the Centre to assess the demand and…

By Welcome N. Nxumalo and Nomvuyo F. Hlophe Understanding and assessing fiscal sustainability is essential in ensuring financial and macro-economic stability. Fiscal sustainability has emerged as an important subject for Swaziland given the increasingly volatile government revenues especially those coming through the South African Customs Union…