The Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency (CEDA) has been granted a budget of P294,486,620. This figure was disclosed by the Minister of Trade and Entrepreneurship, Tiroeaone Ntsima, during his committee of supply address to parliament this week, outlining the 2026/2027 expenditure estimates from the Consolidated and Development Funds.
Ntsima highlighted that CEDA’s allocation accounts for 33% of the total subventions, amounting to P895,101,720, distributed among the Ministry’s eleven State-Owned Enterprises, securing the largest portion among them.
“For the 2026/27 period, CEDA projects P950 million in new approvals. These will cover various product offerings, including poultry and hemp production, green finance, and the creative arts.”
He further disclosed that, from April to September 2025, the first half of the 2025/26 financial year, CEDA invested P230 million to support 586 Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). This investment facilitated the creation of 744 new jobs and helped sustain 835 existing positions.
According to the speech, CEDA’s revenue collections for the current year reached P337 million, surpassing its target of P264 million by an impressive 28%.
Ntsima underscored CEDA’s pivotal role as the government’s primary instrument for supporting SMMEs and promoting sustainable economic growth through diverse initiatives, including the Wealth Creation Programme.
“My Ministry’s eleven (11) SOEs, namely CEDA, LEA, BOBS, BITC, BOTC, CIPA, Competition and Consumer Authority, Competition and Consumer Tribunal, Gambling Authority, SEZA, and SPEDU, have been allocated 74% of the recurrent budget, totaling P895,101,720.”
He noted that the second-largest share of the subvention, amounting to P145,008,420 or 16%, is earmarked for LEA.
Ntsima also revealed that the Wealth Creation Programme has supported 100 new enterprises, benefiting 108 individuals during 2025/26. Since its inception in 2011, the programme has funded a total of 41,869 enterprises, with 73% still operational and providing employment to 34,731 people.
Turning to the Botswana Development Corporation (BDC), Ntsima highlighted several transformative projects underway, including the optimization of Milk Valley Farm through the acquisition of 600 Girolando dairy cattle from Brazil, the first 300 of which are expected to arrive in April 2026. Other initiatives include the transformation of Lobatse Clay Works into a comprehensive building supplies manufacturing hub, the development of a 150-room Radisson-branded hotel, and the establishment of the Unity Health Care Fund dedicated to medical supplies and infrastructure.
“The Corporation has a robust investment pipeline valued at P741 million slated for closure by June 2026, and P1 billion targeted for completion by June 2027, focusing on mineral beneficiation, ICT, electronics, automotive, renewable energy, financial services, and infrastructure development.”