As Southern Africa’s sugar industry navigates a transformative era defined by climate risk and market volatility, the Kingdom of Eswatini will host the Standard Bank Regional Sugar Summit on Friday, 8 May 2026.
Convening at the Simunye Country Club, the summit aims to reposition the sector from a traditional commodity industry into a high-tech, bio-industrial engine for inclusive growth.
Standard Bank, drawing on more than 160 years of experience and a presence across 20 African markets, continues to position itself as a key enabler of this transformation. Through sophisticated financing structures and cross-border expertise, the Group is facilitating the capital flows required to modernise agriculture and strengthen regional value chains.
“The sugar industry is not merely a commodity sector; it is a powerful engine for inclusive development,” said Mvuselelo Fakudze, Chief Executive of Standard Bank Eswatini. “This summit is designed to unlock the full potential of the value chain by fostering the collaboration and innovation required to thrive in a shifting global environment.”
Fakudze further emphasised the broader societal impact of the sector, noting that the summit carries tangible value for EmaSwati and communities across the SADC region.
“Stronger collaboration in the sugar sector supports stable livelihoods for farmers, improved incomes for smallholder growers, and sustained employment across the value chain. For EmaSwati, this platform enables high-level decisions that strengthen household resilience, drive rural development, and enhance both food and energy security through innovations such as bio-energy and sustainable land use,” he said, adding that responsible industry growth ultimately ensures shared prosperity across the region.
The 2026 programme is anchored on three strategic imperatives: value chain integration, climate resilience, and market diversification. These pillars reflect a coordinated effort to strengthen the ecosystem from smallholder farms to export markets, address the sugar-energy nexus through renewable solutions, and future-proof the industry against global price volatility through ESG-linked investment and innovation.
The summit will feature high-level contributions. Industry leadership perspectives will be shared by Banele Nyamane, Chief Executive of Eswatini Sugar, and Linda Manda, Regional Head BCB, South and Central at Standard Bank Group, who will speak to value chain excellence and integrated financing solutions, respectively.
A high-level panel discussion on strengthening Africa’s sugar value chain will bring together Leon Kotze, Head of Agri-Business (BCB Africa Regions); Dr Samson Sithole, Chief Executive of the Eswatini Water and Agricultural Development Enterprise (EWADE); Rowan Jackson, Executive Vice President, Consumer Sector (CIB Group); and Nontobeko Mabuza, Head of Advocacy and Stakeholder Engagement at Eswatini Sugar, focusing on unlocking capital, enhancing productivity, and expanding trade corridors.
The energy transition and climate resilience agenda will be explored through a dedicated panel led by Dr. Andrea Campher, Senior Manager for Sustainability and Agri-Business, alongside Brian Tahinduka, Head of Energy, Infrastructure, and Mining (Africa Regions & Offshore). They will be joined by an Eswatini-based outgrower client, Nosipho Simelane-Dlamini, Research and Renewables Engineer at Eswatini Electricity Company, and engineering partner Simply Swazi, providing practical insights into renewable energy integration, including biomass, bioethanol, co-generation, and climate-resilient agricultural systems.
Further technical depth will be provided by IB Oosthuizen, Agri-Tech Expert from RES Corporation, who will present on technological advances in sugar production and processing, including precision agriculture, water management innovation, and climate-smart farming practices.
The summit will conclude with a strategic round-table discussion featuring leading producers, including Muzi B. Siyaya, Managing Director of Ubombo Sugar Limited, and Nick Jackson, Managing Director of RES Corporation, alongside a representative from the South African Sugar Association, examining diversification strategies, energy transition opportunities, capital structuring, and the future of a competitive, bio-industrial sugar economy.
Closing reflections will be delivered by Mlamuli Hlatshwayo, Head of Business and Commercial Banking, Standard Bank Eswatini, summarising key insights and outlining the path forward for regional collaboration, innovation, and investment.
As a multi-billion-dollar contributor to the SADC economy, the sugar industry remains a critical economic pillar, sustaining hundreds of thousands of livelihoods across farming, milling, logistics, and manufacturing value chains.
Against the backdrop of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the summit will serve as a strategic platform for producers, financiers, and policymakers to address structural bottlenecks constraining regional trade and industrialisation, while unlocking new pathways for investment and market expansion.
As the industry navigates a complex intersection of climate risk, economic pressure, and global market shifts, the Standard Bank Regional Sugar Summit 2026 stands as a catalyst for investment-driven dialogue and actionable solutions, positioning Southern Africa’s sugar sector for a more resilient, competitive, and sustainable future.