Eswatini’s labour market is projected to grow by 12.2% over the next 12 years, with total employment expected to rise from 260,356 in 2023 to 292,143 by 2034. However, this positive outlook is under threat due to persistent skills mismatches across key economic sectors.
Skills mismatches occur when the qualifications, training, and competencies of job seekers do not align with the needs of employers. In Eswatini, this gap is most evident in sectors such as agriculture and agro-processing, mining and energy, tourism, and manufacturing.
These industries are experiencing shortages of workers with the necessary technical expertise, industry experience, or certifications.
As a result, even as job opportunities increase, employers struggle to fill vacancies, while many, particularly young people, remain unemployed or underemployed. This disconnect hinders productivity, slows sectoral growth, and limits the impact of broader economic development efforts.
These findings are detailed in the 2025 National Labour Market Skills Project (NLMSP). The report is the result of a collaborative study commissioned by the Eswatini Higher Education Council (ESHEC) in partnership with ESEPARC and the Taiwan Technical Mission.
Despite targeted interventions following the 2022 National Skills Audit, the 2025 report confirms that employers across sectors continue to face significant recruitment challenges due to a lack of suitably skilled candidates.
Youth unemployment remains alarmingly high at 48. 7%—a modest improvement from 58. 2% in 2022—highlighting that existing strategies have yet to deliver substantial results.
The report acknowledges that the projected employment growth signals a positive trajectory for the economy. However, it warns that unless education and training systems are more closely aligned with real-time labour market demands, the country risks missing out on the potential benefits of this growth.
To address this, the report calls for urgent, coordinated action by both the public and private sectors. Key recommendations include strengthening technical and vocational education and training (TVET), enhancing collaboration between industry and academic institutions, and launching targeted upskilling initiatives.
With a growing youth population and expanding sectors, bridging the skills gap is critical to transforming projected employment growth into real, inclusive, and sustainable economic advancement.