Botswana’s digital credit sector is witnessing rapid expansion, propelled primarily by mobile lending and fintech innovations. Yet, a pressing question looms: who holds regulatory authority over these emerging financial services? Traditional banks remain under the scrutiny of the Bank of Botswana and the Non-Bank Financial Institutions Regulatory Authority (NBFIRA), but many mobile lenders and fintech platforms operate in a nebulous legal zone. This regulatory ambiguity exposes consumers to significant risks, including excessive indebtedness, fraud, and...

  Allows a broader ownership coalition that can stabilize and grow De Beers Botswana is contemplating a move that could reshape its economic destiny and the global diamond industry. The government of Botswana, already a 15% owner of De Beers, the world’s most iconic diamond company, is considering expanding its stake as Anglo American, the current 85% majority owner, prepares to divest. This potential acquisition has sparked a heated debate, inside Botswana, across boardrooms in...

Botswana’s fiscal landscape at the close of September 2025 presents a striking narrative of cautious optimism amid global economic headwinds and domestic challenges. The country’s budget deficit, a key barometer of fiscal health, stood at P4.25 billion, an impressive narrowing far below the initially projected P22.18 billion deficit. This surprising fiscal restraint signals a complex interplay of revenue dynamics, government spending discipline, and shifting economic currents that deserve close scrutiny. In a region where economic...

  As 2026 dawns, the world stands at an inflection point, teetering between old certainties and a new era defined by fierce rivalry and fragmenting alliances. The familiar frameworks that once held the global order together are in retreat, challenged by a volatile mix of kinetic conflicts, economic weaponization, and technological upheaval. This emerging landscape is best described as an Age of Competition, where nations deploy trade restrictions, sanctions, and supply chain control as instruments...

  Yet one in four emerging markets still trailing pre-pandemic income levels Despite ongoing trade frictions and policy unpredictability, the global economy is exhibiting greater resilience than many anticipated, the World Bank’s latest Global Economic Prospects report reveals. Projected global GDP growth is set to hold broadly steady over the next two years, moderating slightly to 2.6% in 2026 before edging up to 2.7% in 2027, revised upward from the mid-2025 forecast.   This unexpected...