Business Botswana and IFC Host Inaugural Botswana IFC Day

05 Sep, 2025

Business Botswana, in collaboration with the IFC - International Finance Corporation (IFC) Country Office, hosted the inaugural Botswana IFC Day yesterday, a forum dedicated to exploring investment opportunities and supporting private sector growth in Botswana.

The event was officiated by the Vice President, Mr. Ndaba Gaolatlhe, under the theme “Enabling Inclusive, Sustainable Private Sector Growth.” In his keynote, the Vice President reaffirmed the government’s commitment to driving economic transformation and creating a conducive environment for private enterprise.

The forum brought together key stakeholders, private sector leaders, development partners, government officials, and other strategic players to engage on the role of the private sector in accelerating economic development.

A highlight of the day was a fireside chat featuring the Business Botswana CEO, Mr. Norman Moleele, and IFC Regional Director for SADC, Ms. Claudia Conceicao, who explored the theme “How to Spur Private Sector Growth in Botswana” Their discussion emphasised the need for strong economic enablers, while underscoring the IFC’s role in providing investment and advisory services tailored to Botswana’s context.

The programme also featured presentations on Botswana’s drivers of growth, focusing on the private sector’s contribution to inclusive, sustainable, and resilient development, particularly through SMEs. The IFC reiterated its commitment to supporting Botswana’s economic transformation by providing innovative financial solutions and strategic policy guidance.

In closing, Mr. Roland Yameogo, the IFC Country Manager for Angola, Botswana, and Lesotho, highlighted the key takeaways from the forum. These included:

1) The need for a vibrant and robust private sector that partners with government to create an enabling business environment.

2) Expanding access to finance for SMEs, supported by technical assistance, market studies, and bankable projects.

3) Broadening Botswana’s diversification agenda beyond diamonds, with priority sectors such as livestock, tourism, agriculture, mining, manufacturing, and energy.

Strengthening the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) agenda, including capacity building, developing a pipeline of projects, and hosting a dedicated PPP workshop.

The forum concluded with a renewed commitment from all parties to scale up engagement and partnerships that will position the private sector as the engine of economic transformation.