Cavista Holdings, a multifaceted technology enterprise with interests spanning agriculture and hospitality, has officially set up operations in Botswana following a two-year courtship spearheaded by President Mokgweetsi Masisi. The company initially captured Botswana’s attention during the 2022 US-Africa Business Summit in Morocco, where President Masisi met John Olajide, the founder and CEO of Cavista Holdings.
“I extended an invitation to Mr. Olajide to consider Botswana as the next home for his rapidly growing global company, Cavista Holdings. I knew then, as I do now, that Botswana is a fertile ground for growth, with an enabling environment for businesses to thrive,” President Masisi remarked during the official launch of Cavista’s operations in Botswana. “Our robust infrastructure, political stability, and a government deeply committed to economic transformation through innovation and technology make us an ideal investment destination.”
Cavista Holdings boasts a successful footprint in various sectors including technology, agriculture, hospitality, fintech, and energy. Based in the United States, the company also operates in Nigeria, Canada, India, and the Philippines. Following their participation in the 2023 US-Africa Business Summit in Gaborone, Cavista’s executives returned to Botswana for an initial scoping mission, focusing primarily on the ICT sector.
The Botswana Investment and Trade Centre (BITC) played a pivotal role in orchestrating this visit by developing a comprehensive stakeholder engagement programme. This initiative enabled Cavista to identify and validate sector-specific opportunities, culminating in their decision to establish operations in Botswana. Through BITC’s Botswana One-Stop Service Centre, the organization provided Cavista with essential business advisory services, guiding them through Botswana’s commercial property landscape and presenting a detailed overview of Gaborone’s commercial real estate market.
President Masisi asserted that Cavista Holdings’ decision to expand its global footprint to Botswana signifies a bold vote of confidence in the country’s stability, business environment, and potential to evolve into a leading technology hub in Africa. He emphasized that Cavista’s operations will not only replicate their successes in other countries but will also be tailored to meet the unique needs and aspirations of the Botswanan people.
To support Cavista in their investment roll-out, BITC is working to formally accredit the company through the Botswana One-Stop Service Centre. This accreditation will enable Cavista to continue benefiting from BITC’s aftercare services, which include assistance with work and residence permits for key staff, short-term business visas, and ongoing stakeholder engagement facilitation.
President Masisi has been at the forefront of Botswana’s efforts to attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), a strategy aimed at industrializing the economy, creating jobs, and diversifying an economy historically reliant on the diamond industry. Diamonds account for approximately 30 percent of government revenue and over 30 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
With the anticipated growth of the technology sector in Botswana, the government foresees the creation of thousands of new jobs across diverse fields such as software engineering, digital marketing, data science, and cybersecurity. President Masisi highlighted that Cavista’s presence will not only generate employment but also offer opportunities for skills development and knowledge transfer to the nation’s youth.
According to President Masisi, the government is investing in digital infrastructure, skills development, and research to create an environment conducive to the thriving of technology companies. Aligning with the objectives of Vision 2036, the government aims to diversify the economy and reduce dependency on traditional sectors like mining.
“The technology sector provides the most grand opportunity to accomplish the goals of socio-economic transformation of Botswana,” President Masisi stated.
