The 2026 Made in Eswatini® Consumer Choice Awards have moved into their public voting phase, with consumers now deciding which local brands, businesses and experiences will receive recognition across 20 categories.
The awards have unveiled 194 nominees following a consumer nomination process that ran from 12 July to 12 August and generated more than 260 entries from consumers across Eswatini.
The nominees represent a broad section of the local consumer economy, covering areas including food and agriculture, fashion, technology, tourism, manufacturing, creativity, health and wellness, personal brands and event experiences.
According to A Peculiar People, the organisation behind the awards, the nomination process was deliberately designed to put consumers at the centre of the programme.
“This is an awards program 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 A Peculiar People chairman Melusi Zox Dlamini.
The awards follow the launch of the Made in Eswatini® definition, which was introduced by Her Royal Highness Princess Sakhizwe on July 10.
The definition describes Made in Eswatini® as products, services, experiences and designs that have been genuinely created, produced, transformed or delivered from Eswatini by responsible enterprises.
The definition is intended to provide a clearer standard for what can carry the Made in Eswatini® identity as the movement continues to grow.
The Consumer Choice Awards are now asking the public to take the next step by voting for the nominees.
Voting opened on August 14, and will close on September 16, 2026. Each vote costs E1 and can be made through MTN MoMo, with voting available through the Made in Eswatini website.
Dlamini, said the voting process is important because it places the purchasing public, rather than businesses themselves, at the centre of the awards.
“We want to put the consumer with the actual brand at the centre of this concept not the entrepreneur,” he said.
In addition he said a business can tell us that it is excellent. A marketing campaign can tell us that a product is the best.
However 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.
The range of categories reflects the changing nature of Eswatini’s local market, with Tourism, Fashion, Health & Wellness, Personal Brands and Event Experiences among the fields that attracted more than 10 nominees each.
The organisers say this reflects the growing variety of businesses, products and services being developed for consumers in the country.
Worth remembering the awards were launched by Minister for Commerce, Trade and Industry Manqoba Khumalo and will culminate in an awards ceremony at Hilton Garden Inn on September 17.
The ceremony will be held under the theme 'Imagine the Impact' a theme that asks consumers, businesses, institutions and leaders to consider what could happen if there were a deliberate and sustained commitment to supporting local products and services.
Hospitality and tourism will also form part of the awards’ wider focus, with Hilton Garden Hotel and HOTAES supporting the ceremony.
The fashion element of the awards will also encourage guests to wear local brands and designs.
The organisers are calling on attendees to embrace contemporary local fashion, sustainable pieces, locally made accessories and other designs as part of the event’s emphasis on local enterprise.
Now in its third year, the Consumer Choice Awards form part of the wider Made in Eswatini®
Ecosystem, which seeks to build consumer confidence around products and services produced in the country.
A Peculiar People says recognition is only one part of that process, with market access and consumer support also important to the long-term success of local businesses.
“These 194 nominees are a snapshot of what Eswatini is capable of producing, creating and delivering,” Dlamini said.
The organisation is now encouraging consumers, entrepreneurs, business leaders, development partners, policymakers and institutions to participate in the voting process.
Meanwhile for the nominees, the next stage is no longer about securing a place on the list.
It is about convincing the people who use their products, visit their businesses, attend their events and recommend their services to make their choice.
Voting is open until September 16, with the winners set to be revealed at the September ceremony.
For a programme built around consumer choice, the final word belongs to the consumer.
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