Botswana is confronting growing fiscal challenges as rising public debt, a widening budget deficit, and soaring household borrowing put increasing strain on the country’s economy. The nation’s heavy dependence on diamond revenues, primarily from Debswana, has left government finances vulnerable to global market swings, pushing the government to rely more on borrowing to fund its operations. This has tightened both public and household balance sheets, raising alarm among policymakers and international observers alike. Projections for...

The University of Botswana (UB) is making a bold leap toward environmental leadership, unveiling an ambitious Green Campus Programme that could redefine sustainability across the African continent. In a sweeping initiative that spans water conservation, waste recycling, and solar energy deployment, UB is positioning itself not just as an academic institution but as a living laboratory for green innovation. This is no mere token effort; it’s poised to save millions in utility costs while drastically...

Botswana’s prison service currently manages 22 facilities, including a center for illegal immigrants, with an official capacity of 4,337 inmates. This information was disclosed this week in Parliament by Nelson Ramaotwana, the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, during his committee of supply presentation for the Botswana Prison Service (BPS). As of March 18, 2026, the prison population stood at 4,457, including two children accompanying their mothers, Mr. Ramaotwana revealed. This number exceeds the authorized...

As 2026 unfolds, Botswana’s storied economic stability is under unprecedented strain, laying bare a clash of visions within its political elite over how to navigate mounting financial pressures. A recent parliamentary battle over raising Botswana’s debt ceiling from 40 percent to 60 percent of GDP has exposed stark disagreements between the government, led by Vice President and Minister of Finance Ndaba Gaolathe, and the opposition Botswana Congress Party (BCP), headed by Dumelang Saleshando. This debate...

Botswana is rewriting its economic script, and at the heart of this transformation is the Botswana Development Corporation Limited (BDC), under the stewardship of its relatively new Managing Director, Oteng Keabetswe. The contrast between past and present could not be starker. Historically, the BDC managed a portfolio of around P5 billion, which yielded a modest P50 million in revenue. Today, just seven months into Keabetswe’s leadership, the corporation has injected P550 million into strategic investments,...

Air Botswana has suspended three regional routes in response to mounting financial losses, as the government seeks to stabilize the national carrier. The airline reported a substantial revenue shortfall over a nine-month period, prompting urgent restructuring efforts. Officials describe the move as part of a broader strategy to strengthen both the aviation sector and tourism industry. The airline has discontinued flights connecting Gaborone with Durban’s King Shaka International Airport, Gaborone with Windhoek’s Hosea Kutako International...

The Government of Botswana has unveiled an ambitious plan to overhaul its social protection system, targeting a 40 percent reduction in the country’s annual social assistance expenditure, currently standing at P9 billion, by 2036. This effort aims not only to cut costs but also to broaden support and ensure that vulnerable populations are effectively reached. The initiative is part of a larger strategy to shift social protection from short-term relief toward fostering sustainable livelihoods, economic...

Over the past decade, Botswana has reported more than 6,000 cases of missing persons, with 426 individuals still unaccounted for. The year 2021 saw a spike in cases, with 45 people remaining missing. Authorities have confirmed that 334 reported missing persons were found deceased; 178 from natural causes, 97 by suicide, and 54 murdered. Although six victims were discovered with body parts missing, often linked culturally to ritual killings, forensic examinations revealed these injuries occurred...

A Congo-bound arms shipment was intercepted and halted at the Martin’s Drift Border Post, raising serious questions about transparency, protocol breaches, and the ultimate destination of the cargo. Law enforcement officials stopped a covert military shipment linked to Denel SOC Ltd as it attempted to pass through Botswana en route to the conflict-ridden Democratic Republic of Congo. The shipment, carried in a single mini truck, was seized along with the detention of its driver. Investigations...