Case Study
ESWATINI ELECTRICITY COMPANY
Powering Efficiency with Smarter Financial Management in IDU
ABOUT ESWATINI ELECTRICITY COMPANY
The Eswatini Electricity Company (EEC) is the main power utility in Eswatini, responsible for the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity. A government-owned entity, EEC plays a key role in the country’s energy sector, ensuring reliable power supply across multiple divisions from generation to back-office functions.
THE BUSINESS CHALLENGE
Prior to implementing IDU-Concept, EEC relied on traditional spreadsheet based budgeting processes.
This presented several challenges:
Manual spreadsheets – A team of five to six accountants had to input figures into multiple spreadsheets, creating the risk of errors and time-consuming troubleshooting.
Version control issues – Any modification to formulas or inputs could create inconsistencies, leading to sleepless nights for the finance team.
Complex regulatory changes – When the regulator requested adjustments to tariff applications, updating Excel spreadsheets became chaotic, slow, and prone to mistakes.
Disconnected systems – Reporting and dashboards existed in silos, making it difficult to consolidate information for management and decision-making.
Management Accountant, Siphesihle Maphanga, explains: “We basically needed something that’s more seamless, quick, efficient, and effective. When you start modifying Excel spreadsheets, you lose confidence in the numbers, which was a real challenge for us. ”
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THE SOLUTION
In 2024, EEC transitioned from manual Excel processes to IDUConcept, creating a unified and controlled approach to budgeting, forecasting, and reporting.
KEY ELEMENTS OF THE IMPLEMENTATION INCLUDED:
Faster budgeting cycles – Processes that previously took a month were reduced by half in the first year of use.
Integrated reporting and dashboards – IDU consolidated multiple siloed systems, providing a single platform for real-time reporting and insight.
Versatile platform – IDU-Concept proved adaptable to the company’s diverse operational structure, from generation and transmission to back-office finance.
Dedicated support – The IDU team, provided hands-on guidance, available 24/7 to ensure a smooth rollout and confidence in the system.
A PARTNER IN SUCCESS
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Margie Whitten, Director at IDU, says: “We are proud to support Eswatini Electricity Company on their financial transformation journey. Their experience highlights how IDU-Concept can streamline processes, increase efficiency, and provide confidence in reporting, regardless of industry or complexity. ”
"Moving from Excel to IDU has been a dream come true. The dashboards and reporting tools give us a clear overview, and the system is versatile enough for any business or industry."
Siphesihle Maphanga, Management Accountant ECC
THE RESULT
Accelerated budgeting – The budgeting process has been reduced from a month to just two weeks.
Improved visibility – Consolidated dashboards provide executives and managers with a single source of truth.
Enhanced confidence and control – With a controlled, consistent system, the finance team can submit regulatory changes with certainty.
Streamlined reporting – Integration of previously separate reporting tools improves efficiency and reduces manual effort
