Boko takes Botswana’s case for financial reform to the U.N.

President Duma Boko used his address to the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday to press for changes to the global financial system, arguing that developing countries need cheaper, more reliable financing to expand their economies, create jobs and sustain essential public services. Speaking at the 81st session  of the General Assembly in New York, Mr. Boko called for an overhaul of the international financial architecture. Developing economies, he said, continue to face borrowing costs...

De Beers sale nears deadline…

A national asset at a turning point For Botswana, the possible sale of De Beers is more than a corporate transaction. It is a decision about who will control the company at the heart of the country’s diamond economy – and who will bear the cost if the business cannot recover from its worst downturn in decades. The government is nearing the end of its review of Anglo American’s proposed sale of its 85 percent...

FNBB’s profit climbs 12% amid persistent credit challenges

FNB Botswana has reported a 12 percent rise in profit, reaching P2.117 billion for the financial year ending June 2026, despite ongoing pressures from impairments, high funding costs, and subdued credit demand. The bank’s total income grew 13 percent to P4.226 billion, buoyed by a 30 percent increase in non-interest revenue, while net interest income edged down two percent to P1.912 billion. In light of these results, FNB declared a dividend of 30 thebe per...

From the Kalahari to Kinshasa: Botswana’s beef industry confronts its moment of reckoning

On 21 April 2026, the European Union drew a line through Botswana’s last authorized fresh-beef export zones. The decision, triggered by a cascade of foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks across the country’s veterinary control areas, did more than sever a trade route. It forced a landlocked southern African nation of 2.4 million people to answer an uncomfortable question: What happens to an export-dependent industry when its most lucrative doorway slams shut? The answer is still taking shape....

Stress tests indicate commercial real estate risks remain manageable

Botswana’s banking sector continues to demonstrate resilience against credit and interest rate risks, with the Bank of Botswana’s latest stress tests confirming stability under moderate conditions. Yet, the central bank warns that more severe scenarios could reveal vulnerabilities within property lending. Deputy Governor Dr Kealeboga Masalila provided insights in response to inquiries about the Monetary Policy Committee’s stress testing results, focusing on commercial real estate (CRE) debt-servicing risks, potential defaults, and exposure to interest rate...

Dangote calls on Africa to finance its own industrialization   

Aliko Dangote, the Nigerian billionaire and founder of the Dangote Group, delivered a pointed challenge to African nations and businesses: take charge of the continent’s industrial future instead of relying heavily on foreign investors. Speaking at a Capital Markets and Institutional Investors Roundtable in Botswana, hosted by Vice President Ndaba Gaolathe and the Botswana Stock Exchange, Dangote emphasized that African capital must play a decisive role in funding large-scale development projects. His remarks underscored industrialization,...

UB tackles innovation barriers with new Fund, coordination efforts

The University of Botswana (UB) has pinpointed poor coordination among institutions as the chief barrier blocking local innovations from reaching the market. Professor Doreen Ramogola-Masire, UB’s Deputy Vice Chancellor for Research and Enterprise, emphasized the need to dismantle institutional silos and create a streamlined pipeline that connects research, infrastructure, funding, and commercialization. She highlighted ongoing efforts at UB to help innovators transition from prototypes to investment-ready products. Speaking to the WeekendPost, Ramogola-Masire said coordination outweighs...

Okavango farmers highlight gaps in Botswana’s horticulture market

Farmers in Botswana’s Okavango region are sounding the alarm over the limited and poorly structured markets that are stifling their ability to expand horticultural production, despite having ample land, water, and capacity to grow a wider variety of crops. Their concerns point to a broader weakness in the country’s horticulture strategy, where efforts to boost local output have not been matched by equally robust market systems. The Okavango Horticulture Farmers Association, representing more than 60...

Africa unites for climate-resilient healthcare in 2026 Conference

The Botswana Association of Family Physicians (BAOFP) is calling for enhanced collaboration among African nations to build resilient primary healthcare systems amid escalating climate and health challenges. In response to a query from the Weekend Post, BAOFP Chairperson Dr. Claire Brockbank and Vice Chair Dr. Yaone Bogatsu, both members of the 9th WONCA Africa Region Conference 2026 organizing committee, emphasized the conference’s goal to shift discussions on planetary health and primary care toward actionable, Africa-centered...