TREASURE MAPHANGA: CELEBRATING SWAZI WOMEN SHAPING THE CONTINENT AND BEYOND
In the heart of eSwatini, a kingdom cradled by mountains and tradition, a visionary was quietly shaping the future of an entire continent. Treasure Maphanga, a name synonymous with resilience and innovation, has spent decades weaving threads of unity and progress across Africa’s fragmented trade landscape.
Her journey—from the rolling hills of her homeland to the corridors of continental power—is a testament to her unwavering belief in Africa’s potential. Maphanga's story is one of firsts. As the first Swazi national to ascend to the role of Director of Trade and Industry at the African Union Commission (2011–2019), she became a linchpin in Africa’s quest for economic sovereignty. Her tenure coincided with the birth of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), the largest free trade zone since the WTO.
Tasked with managing negotiations among 55 member states, she navigated complex political terrains with a diplomat’s grace and a strategist’s precision. “AfCFTA isn’t just about tariffs,” she often remarked. “It’s about rewriting Africa’s narrative—from fragmentation to collective power.” Her work laid the groundwork for a projected $3.4 trillion single market, but Treasure’s focus extended beyond numbers.
She championed policies to uplift SMEs, recognizing them as the lifeblood of African economies. Under her leadership, the AU launched initiatives to integrate informal cross-border traders—often women—into formal systems, ensuring they too could thrive in the AfCFTA era.
In 2019, Maphanga's expertise caught the attention of His Majesty King Mswati III, who appointed her as Special Envoy to spearhead eSwatini’s bid to host the AfCFTA Secretariat. Though the bid ultimately went to Ghana, her efforts showcased eSwatini’s diplomatic clout and deepened continental solidarity. That same year, she embraced a new challenge as COO of the AeTrade Group, a pan-African digital trade platform. At AeTrade, Maphanga became the driving force behind Sokokuu.Africa, a digital marketplace designed to empower SMEs by connecting them to continental and global markets.
Treasure Maphanga
“Imagine a woman in Mbabane selling handmade crafts alongside a tech startup in Nairobi—all on one platform,” she once explained to a colleague. “That’s the Africa we’re building.” Her vision merged pragmatism with idealism: Sokokuu not only facilitates trade but also offers financing, mentorship, and logistics support, dismantling barriers that once stifled small businesses. Treasure’s career has been marked by quiet revolutions.
During her earlier role as Chief of the Office for Africa at the International Trade Centre (ITC), she advocated for “trade not aid,” pushing African nations to leverage their unique assets—from minerals to cultural products—in global value chains. Her advocacy for South-South trade reshaped how African nations engaged with emerging economies like India and Brazil, fostering partnerships built on mutual respect rather than dependency.
A graduate of the Graduate Institute of Geneva, where she mastered the art of international negotiation, Treasure’s academic rigor complements her grassroots pragmatism. Her recognition as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in 2006 foreshadowed her ascent as a trailblazer. Yet, she remains grounded in her Swazi roots, often citing Ubuntu—“I am because we are”—as her guiding philosophy.
Today, Maphanga's mission centers on Africa’s digital transformation. She envisions a continent where a farmer in Malawi uses blockchain to track crop sales, and a fashion designer in Lagos accesses real-time trends in Paris—all through platforms like Sokokuu. Her influence extends beyond boardrooms. As a mentor to young African entrepreneurs and a board member of multiple NGOs, Treasure invests in the next generation.
Whether advocating for women’s inclusion in AfCFTA talks or advising startups on scaling sustainably, her life’s work mirrors Africa’s evolving story—a blend of audacity and resilience. As Sokokuu.Africa expands and AfCFTA gains momentum, her legacy crystallizes: a continent united not by borders, but by shared ambition. In the words of a young entrepreneur she mentored: “Treasure didn’t just open doors—she built new ones, ones we didn’t even know existed.”
For Africa, those doors lead to a future where trade is not a transaction, but a transformation. Maphanga’s journey continues to inspire a generation of Africans to dream bigger, trade smarter, and claim their rightful place in the global economy. In her vision, the heartbeat of Africa’s prosperity is not in its mines or oil fields, but in the ingenuity of its people.*