With Africa poised to become the world’s fastest-growing aviation market, policymakers and industry leaders are focused on a central challenge: how to translate rising demand into sustainable connectivity, competitiveness, and financial viability. This question anchored deliberations at the two-day Airlines, Capital and Connectivity Forum convened in Nairobi on 25–26 February 2026 by the African Development Bank Group in partnership with the African Airlines Association (AFRAA). Despite strong demand fundamentals, Africa’s aviation sector continues to face...

The government of Botswana stands on the brink of a pivotal fiscal shift. The Stock, Bonds and Treasury Bills (Amendment) Bill, 2026, set to be presented by Minister of Finance and Vice President Ndaba Gaolathe, aims to raise the ceiling on outstanding public debt and government-guaranteed debt to 60 percent of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This move signals not only a recalibration of fiscal policy but also a strategic response to pressures mounting...

The government has launched strategic talks with MMG, the Hong Kong-listed proprietor of Khoemacau Mining Company (MCM), signaling a revived ambition to secure a stake in one of the nation’s premier copper ventures. This development coincides with a dramatic surge in global copper prices, fueled by escalating demand from renewable energy industries, electric vehicle manufacturing, and burgeoning industrial activity across emerging markets. Minister of Minerals and Energy, Bogolo Kenewendo, addressed Parliament, revealing that the government...

Global research firm Business Monitor International (BMI) has recently downgraded Botswana’s projected economic growth for 2026, citing ongoing risks and challenges confronting the nation’s economy. Following a 3.8 percent expansion in 2023, Botswana’s economy contracted by 3 percent in 2024. The primary drag on economic activity was subdued output in the mining and quarrying sector. Weak global demand for diamonds compelled Botswana’s miners to curtail production to avoid accumulating unprofitable inventory. This extended and deeper-than-anticipated...

Botswana Minerals Plc (BMIN), a British junior mining company, finds itself grappling with an identity crisis amid a sluggish diamond market. Once proudly known as Botswana Diamonds Plc until February 25, 2026, the company’s longstanding image as a diamond specialist now hangs in the balance as it seeks new direction. This identity turmoil is underscored by a series of public statements distancing BMIN from its diamond-centric reputation. On January 26, the company revealed a bold...

The National Development Bank (NDB) of Botswana has emerged from years of financial strain to post a profit of P13.1 million in the 2024/25 financial year, signaling a turning point for the institution and a beacon of hope for the country’s economic development. After a prolonged period marked by losses, the bank’s return to profitability marks not just a numerical milestone but a broader statement about resilience and strategic recalibration. At the recent strategy launch,...

The AI boom that has fueled excitement and investment across the globe is suddenly facing a formidable hurdle: a deepening shortage of memory chips that threatens to choke the very infrastructure supporting artificial intelligence, consumer electronics, and electric vehicles. Nigel Green, CEO of deVere Group, one of the largest independent financial advisory firms, warns that this shortage is more than a supply hiccup, it is a looming profit shock that investors and companies can no...

Botswana’s annual inflation rate edged up to 4.1 percent in January 2026, marking a 0.2 percentage point rise from the 3.9 percent recorded in December 2025. The latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) data released this week attributes this uptick primarily to increasing costs in transport, food and non-alcoholic beverages, as well as personal care services and miscellaneous goods. The transport sector emerged as the dominant driver of inflation in January, contributing 1.6 percentage points to...

Botswana is embarking on a strategic pivot to broaden its mining sector beyond diamonds, targeting critical minerals as a cornerstone of its economic diversification agenda, Minister of Minerals and Energy Bogolo Joy Kenewendo announced. With approximately 70 percent of the country’s landmass still largely unexplored, the government is intensifying efforts to identify new revenue streams and mitigate the fiscal risks tied to its heavy reliance on diamonds. This initiative unfolds against the backdrop of a...