Botswana Development Corporation (BDC) and Debswana Diamond Company have formalised a strategic partnership through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at accelerating industrialisation, economic diversification, and long-term resilience of Botswana’s economy. The agreement establishes a collaborative platform between the two institutions to unlock new industries, particularly within and adjacent to the mining value chain. The partnership brings together Debswana’s scale, operational expertise, and anchor demand with BDC’s structured investment capability and multi-sectoral portfolio approach to develop commercially viable and scalable opportunities. The MoU was signed at the Debswana Corporate Centre by Debswana Chief Executive Officer, Andrew Motsomi,…
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Ecotourism group, Wilderness Safaris, is calling on innovators, entrepreneurs, engineers, system-builders and community leaders from around the world to put forward practical, scalable solutions that strengthen Africa’s conservation economy and support long-term coexistence between people and nature. Under its Wilderness Impact Challenge, entrants can pitch ideas that can put them on the path to win the $ 100,000 prize. Wilderness Group Head of Impact Vincent Shacks, noted that what they have found up to now, is that conservation progresses further when it is economically meaningful for the people closest to it. ‘This edition highlights practical, empowerment‑driven solutions that help local…
Rising demand for lithium is positioning Africa to attract foreign investment, accelerate local beneficiation and strengthen its role in securing the global battery supply chain. A recent forecast by Wood Mackenzie projects that global lithium demand could exceed 13 million tons by 2050 under an accelerated energy transition scenario. This surge is expected to place significant pressure on supply, with deficits emerging as early as 2028. Without substantial new investments, existing lithium projects will struggle to meet demand beyond the mid-2030s. Against this backdrop, Africa’s growing pipeline of greenfield and development-stage lithium projects positions the continent as an increasingly important…
The Hospitality and Tourism Association of Botswana (HATAB) says its flagship Annual Conference will be convened on 23rd April 2026 in Maun. According to the tourism body, the proceedings will be officially opened by the Minister of Environment and Tourism, Wynter Mmolotsi. HATAB noted that this year’s theme, “Redefining Tourism Strategies to Reshape the Botswana Tourism Land-scape,” underscores the industry’s dedication to fostering long-term and sustainable growth. The conference serves as a catalyst for innovation, encouraging the public-private dialogue to maintain Botswana as a world-class travel destination. This year’s event is expected to draw over 200 industry leaders, senior government…
The OPEC Fund for International Development (the OPEC Fund), says at its 195th Governing Board meeting, approved US$890 million in new financing to support development operations across Africa, Asia, Latin America & the Caribbean, and Europe. From the amount, Botswana got a US$170 million loan for the Governance and Economic Resilience Support Program to strengthen fiscal sustainability, enhance transparency and promote private sector-led, inclusive growth. According to OPEC Fund, the program will expand access to finance for youth and women-led MSMEs, increasing the number of supported enterprises from about 900 in 2024 to 2,000 in 2026. The financing will strengthen infrastructure and…
Radisson Hotel Group has reached a significant milestone in Africa, with more than 100 hotels across the continent in operation and under development. Radisson Blu continues to anchor the legacy footprint. At the same time, the Radisson brand is the fastest riser, supported by a strong conversion engine and a concrete pipeline that continues to translate into openings. Building on this momentum, the Group has signed over 15 new hotels and roughly 2,500 rooms in the last 12 months, including new market entries in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zimbabwe. Over the past five years, Radisson and Radisson Blu…
Botswana’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) declined in the last quarter of last year on the back of continuing slump in diamond demand globally. According to Statistics Botswana’s latest report for the fourth quarter of 2025, GDP at constant 2016 prices for the fourth quarter of 2025 was P46, 947.3 million, compared to the P49, 631.1 million recorded in the fourth quarter of 2024, a decrease of 5.4 percent. The government’s numbers agency added that the real Gross Domestic Product shrunk by 5.4 percent during the period under review, as opposed to a contraction of 1.9 percent in the same quarter…
Tracr, a De Beers digital platform that traces natural diamonds from source, has named Jillian Wolk as Chief Executive Officer, effective 1 May 2026. Jillian joins Tracr following senior leadership roles across the jewellery, luxury and technology sectors. Most recently, she served as Vice President, Growth & Strategic Initiatives at GIA, where she developed new services and drove diversified revenue, strengthened commercial strategy, and supported significant industry wide grading initiatives. Having worked closely with the Tracr team in her role at GIA, Jillian brings a deep understanding of Tracr and its mission. Prior to GIA, Jillian held senior executive roles…
Governments from West, Central and Southern Africa, with delegations confirmed for the Invest in African Energy (IAE) Forum in Paris next month, are each advancing critical mineral projects that span processing deals, development-stage assets and frontier exploration plays, giving investors a range of entry points across the minerals value chain. Nigeria – Alumina Refinery & Lithium Processing Nigeria struck a $1.3 billion deal with the Africa Finance Corporation in early March covering three components: construction of a one-million-ton-per-year alumina refinery, a national geoscience mapping program, and a joint investment vehicle to accelerate exploration and production across priority leases. Projected at…
Botswana government says it is embarking on projects aimed at aligning the country with international energy security benchmarks, on the back of supply uncertainties emanating from war in the Middle East. The Minister of Minerals and Energy said the expansion programme will be in sync with global benchmarks of 90 days covers for land-linked countries. Currently, the government has a total of 62.Smillion litres of strategic storage capacity for petroleum strategic stocks. This translates to about 18.9 days of the prevailing consumption equivalent (3.3 million litres per day). On the other hand, the current volume of fuel stocks held by…