Botswana’s commercial banks recorded a P2 billion decline in household lending in May 2026, reflecting the ongoing pressure of elevated borrowing costs. According to the latest Botswana Economic and Financial Statistics report from Bank Botswana, total annual bank lending fell by 0.2 percent in May, a sharp contrast to the 2.5 percent growth seen in January. The household sector was the primary driver of this downturn. Lending to households dropped 3.6 percent to P55 billion...

Foreign direct investment (FDI) in Botswana’s mining sector surged to P47.8 billion in 2024, marking a P15 billion increase from the previous year, according to an update from the Bank of Botswana. The mining sector dominated FDI inflows, accounting for 48.8 percent of the country’s total investment, up from 37.5 percent in 2023, highlighting its growing appeal to investors. The wholesale and retail trade sector ranked as the second-largest recipient, drawing P25.8 billion in FDI....

Botswana is facing challenges in sustaining its export recovery, with new data revealing a P5.4 billion decline in export earnings during the first five months of 2026. According to figures released last week by Statistics Botswana, the government’s official statistics agency, export revenues totaled P25.6 billion between January and May 2026. This marks a 17.3 percent decrease, P5.4 billion less, compared to the P31 billion recorded during the same period in 2025. Diamonds accounted for...

Botswana’s investment in fixed assets, including infrastructure, transport equipment, and plant machinery, fell sharply in the first quarter of 2026, raising concerns about the pace of the country’s economic rebound. According to the latest figures from Statistics Botswana, fixed asset investment dropped by P1.2 billion, from P11.6 billion in the first quarter of 2025 to P10.4 billion in the same period this year. A closer look at the data reveals that spending on plant machinery...

Consumer spending in Botswana is expected to remain restrained throughout the remainder of 2026, following a decline exceeding P600 million in the first quarter.

The Botswana Pula faces the prospect of further decline, driven by a mix of macroeconomic challenges including soaring fuel prices, rising inflation, and diminishing diamond revenues, according to a recent forecast from Fitch Solutions.

The Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE), a government-owned regulator, has announced an improved financial performance for the year 2025, recording revenues of P78.8 million and a profit after tax of P20.6 million. Among state-owned enterprises, the BSE stood out as one of the few that remained profitable last year. It declared dividends of P2.5 million and is now focused on executing a new strategy aimed at increasing its revenue tenfold by 2030. The exchange’s revenue rose...