Westlife Insurance Botswana has announced the Board approval and launch of its 5 year strategic Plan, positioning the company as a diversified, digitally-enabled and customer-centric life insurer. The 2025 audited Annual Financial Statements reflect a profit of P11 million. Further demonstrating the financial resilience needed to sustain and fund the strategy ahead. This result was achieved against a challenging macroeconomic backdrop of contracting GDP, reduced consumer spending and increased policy lapse risks, and is a...

Botswana’s state-owned Okavango Diamond Company (ODC) has extended its operational reach into India, conducting rough diamond viewing sessions in Mumbai. This move has prompted fresh questions about the company’s presence in the Asian diamond hub and why details of the arrangement remain undisclosed. Documents released ahead of ODC’s May 2026 Spot Auction reveal that the company held diamond viewings in both Gaborone and Mumbai. The Mumbai sessions took place from April 20 to April 24...

  Letlole La Rona Limited has announced the appointment of Mr. Ronil Sekgele Besele as Chief Executive Officer, with effect from 01 June 2026. The appointment follows a rigorous and deliberate search process, and the Board is confident it has secured a leader whose profile is directly matched to the demands of running and growing a listed property fund. Mr. Besele brings approximately 20 years of industry experience, of which over 12 years have been...

Cresta Riley’s has once again reinforced its role as a key driver of cultural tourism in Botswana following the successful hosting of the 2026 Ngamiland Cultural Festival, an event proudly owned and driven by the hotel for over a decade. What began as a local cultural celebration has evolved into one of Ngamiland’s most recognised and anticipated tourism and heritage events, bringing together communities, cultural groups, performers, exhibitors, tourism stakeholders, and visitors in celebration of...

The Court of Appeal is scheduled to hear an appeal on June 19, 2026, brought by First National Bank Botswana (FNBB) and two others challenging a High Court ruling that halted the sale of properties linked to businessman Samson Guma Moyo. The dispute arises from FNBB’s efforts to recover debts related to Moyo’s company, United Refineries Botswana Holdings (Pty) Ltd. To satisfy these debts, FNBB initiated execution proceedings against properties connected to Moyo and associated...

In the opening quarter of 2026, Botswana confronted a grim and unrelenting reality: more than 7,500 cases of gender-based violence (GBV) were recorded nationwide, a statistic that underscores the deep-rooted and persistent challenge of violence that continues to ravage individuals and families across the country. Despite a slight numerical dip from the same period last year, where over 7,800 cases were reported, the figures remain a stark reminder of a crisis that refuses to abate....

French healthcare conglomerate CFAO Healthcare has received unconditional approval from Botswana’s Competition and Consumer Authority (CCA) to acquire a 75 percent controlling interest in Medswana Proprietary Limited, a leading pharmaceutical wholesaler in the country. This move marks one of the most significant transactions in Botswana’s pharmaceutical sector. The CCA granted approval on May 13, 2026, clearing the way for CFAO Healthcare to expand its footprint in Botswana’s healthcare supply chain through the acquisition of the...

Retired members of the Botswana Defence Force (BDF) are threatening to stage what could become one of the largest demonstrations by former soldiers in the country’s history. Their frustration stems from delayed pension-related payments and what they describe as years of unkept promises by the government. The Botswana Defence Force Retired Members Association (BDFRMA) issued the warning following a tense annual general meeting in Palapye on May 30. During the meeting, members authorized the association’s...

The world is bracing for a weather phenomenon that meteorologists say could reshape climate patterns and intensify extreme weather events across the globe in 2026. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has issued an urgent warning: a strong El Niño event is developing and poised to exacerbate droughts, heavy rainfall, and heatwaves both on land and in the oceans. This climate disruption, experts warn, will pour fuel on the already blazing fire of global warming, threatening...

Botswana’s digital economy has long been celebrated for its rapid growth, but beneath the surface, the story is far more complicated. A polished Instagram feed or a bustling WhatsApp Business catalog have often been taken as signs that a company has fully embraced digital transformation. Yet, as 2026 unfolds, a deeper look reveals a fragile digital landscape, marked by outdated manual processes and growing regulatory risks. “The biggest misconception is that social media equals digital...