The date is set for the big night when the country’s brightest media stars will be honoured in style.
This is none other than the 2025 National Media Awards, scheduled to be held at the Plush Royal Villas on Monday, December 22, 2025.
The awards have been reintroduced under the leadership of the Eswatini National Association of Journalists (ESNAJ) and the Eswatini Editors Forum (EEF), with the Marketing, Advertising & Research Council (MARC) serving as the implementing partner.
The NMAs represent more than just an event; they symbolize a renewed commitment to journalistic excellence and the growth of the media industry in Eswatini. In a press statement, ESNAJ Secretary General Ntombi Mhlongo explained that the inaugural relaunch edition of the awards will recognise excellence across core categories spanning print, electronic, and digital platforms.
Mhlongo said that, as a self-funding initiative relying on partnerships, they invited companies and organizations to show support by honouring the craft and celebrating storytellers through category sponsorships or in-kind partnerships that help drive the experience.
Mhlongo revealed that, as the consultant, MARC has confirmed that more than 20 companies and organisations have come on board to support the ceremony.
They have done this by purchasing some of the categories that cost between E25,000 and E45,000 each. Other companies have supported the awards with in-kind contributions, including covering some of the costs for services secured for the big night.
The companies, both corporate and private, include the European Union, Ubombo Sugar Limited, Lidwala Insurance, Eswatini Mobile, REDI, Swaziland Building Society, SwaziMed, MulaSport, Eswatini Beverages, Nedbank, Sincephetelo Motor Vehicle Fund, and Royal Eswatini Sugar (RES Corp).
Others include the Eswatini Energy Regulatory Agency (ESERA), British High Commission, Eswatini Revenue Service (ERS), MTN Eswatini, Instacash, Public Service Pension Fund (PSPF), and Mountain View. Others, Mhlongo noted, have committed but still need to confirm their offer.
When interviewed, ESNAJ President Lwazi ‘Gigg’s Dlamini said, “We, as the ESNAJ, are thankful to every sponsor and stakeholder who has supported us in our National Media Awards project. We wouldn’t have been able to host this prestigious event without their support. Over and above, we want to assure our sponsors and stakeholders that we will walk this long journey together in taking the journalism profession to the next level”.
He also said, “In terms of readiness for the event, we are more than ready. Some processes are ongoing behind the scenes for adjudication and preparation, but everything is on track. It will be a night to remember in celebrating the storytellers and honouring the craft”.
…Over 100 entries from journalists
Who will take it home?
The National Media Awards ceremony will be a fierce competition to determine who has worked the hardest.
Over 100 entries have been received across categories, including Journalist of the Year, Story of the Year, Photographer of the Year, Emerging Reporter of the Year, and Business Reporter of the Year.
The 2025 NMAs were open to practicing journalists whose work has been published or aired by media outlets registered in Eswatini. Freelancers were also encouraged to apply, as long as their work appeared on qualifying platforms.
In terms of eligibility, entries that were published or broadcast between December 1, 2024, and December 8, 2025, were considered, meaning works outside this period could not qualify.
Each journalist was allowed to submit up to three entries.
The same piece of work could be entered in no more than two categories.
Regarding the entry process, full submission guidelines and category definitions were provided, and the entry form was published via ESNAJ/EEF channels.
Practicing journalists whose work was published or aired by media houses registered in Eswatini were considered.