Acclaimed South African author, storyteller and screenwriter Sue Nyathi is set to headline the Eswatini Copyright and Neighbouring Rights Society’s (ESWACOS) ‘The Business of Creativity’ seminar, which will take place during the 2026 Eswatini International Trade Fair.
Nyathi will be in Eswatini on September 1, 2026, for a fireside conversation titled ‘From Page to Screen’ where she is expected to share insights from her experience of taking stories from literature into film and television.
The seminar will be held from 13:00 to 15:30 at the Green Chamber of the Mavuso Trade and Exhibition Centre and will bring together creatives, entrepreneurs, business leaders, investors, policymakers, students and other stakeholders interested in the creative economy.
Nyathi is the author of The Polygamist, a literary work that was adapted into a Netflix series which reached number one in 16 countries.
Her appearance at the seminar will provide an opportunity for local creatives to learn more about the commercial possibilities that can emerge when intellectual property moves beyond its original format.
During the fireside conversation, Nyathi will explore storytelling, screen adaptation and how writers can position their intellectual property for wider commercial exploitation through film, television and streaming platforms.
The discussion is also expected to highlight the wider value chain created when literary works are adapted for the screen, creating opportunities for authors, publishers, screenwriters, producers, actors, directors and investors.
For Eswatini’s growing creative sector, the session is expected to offer practical insight into how creative works can become sustainable economic assets when they are properly protected, licensed and managed.
Joining Nyathi on the seminar programme will be Nikilitha Mantungwa, a music supervisor, music publisher and creative entrepreneur, who will deliver a presentation on music licensing and publishing.
Mantungwa is the founder of Kopton Music and will focus on the business infrastructure behind music creation, including ownership, licensing, publishing and the various commercial pathways through which music can generate income.
Her presentation will target artists, songwriters, producers and other music rights holders, with particular attention to understanding rights management, accurate administration, licensing and access to wider markets.
Through The Business of Creativity, ESWACOS intends to broaden the conversation around the creative sector by highlighting creativity not only as a form of cultural expression or entertainment, but also as an industry capable of generating revenue, jobs, intellectual property, exports and investment.
The seminar will focus on music, literature and film, examining opportunities presented by copyright protection, licensing, publishing, digital platforms, adaptation rights, market access and creative financing.
ESWACOS said the initiative seeks to strengthen the relationship between Eswatini’s creative community and the wider business and investment sector, while equipping creators with knowledge to understand, protect and commercialise their work.
The seminar is open to musicians, songwriters, producers, independent record labels, authors, publishers, screenwriters, filmmakers, creative entrepreneurs, cultural practitioners, investors, business leaders, students and young people interested in opportunities within the creative economy.
Interested participants are encouraged to register in advance through the RSVP link provided by ESWACOS or by scanning the QR code on the official event promotional material.
