02 Jun 2022

Government has introduced a highly competitive corporate tax regime, which is the lowest in the region. in an effort to lure investors to the country.

Botswana Investment and Trade Centre (BITC), Director, Investment Promotion -Financial and Business Services, Mr Moshie Ratsebe said this was meant to lure investors.

He was speaking at a business seminar organised by the Japanese Embassy in Botswana and BITC in Gaborone on Wednesday.

The seminar was attended by some Japanese companies’ representatives based in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Mr Ratsebe said manufacturing companies enjoyed a 15 per cent tax base and duty free import for manufacturing and agricultural machinery and equipment. 

 He said the global average tax puts Botswana at the lowest rate of 22 per cent, while the African average stands at 27.9 per cent and the global average is at 23.5 per cent, according to the Tax Foundation 2020. 

He informed the potential investors that BITC’s main duty was to provide investor value added services, such as the company and business registration, trade and business license applications, industrial and commercial land/factory shells among others, through the Botswana one stop service centre.  

 Mr Ratsebe said investment opportunities ranged from commercialisation of the agriculture and agribusiness sector, manufacturing, mining and resource beneficiation, energy, transport and logistics and tourism and hospitality; among others. 

 For his part, the executive director of Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) responsible for Johannesburg and African region, Mr Yoshika Ishihara said the organisation was responsible for promoting foreign direct investment into Japan and into foreign countries from Japan and also assist Japanese firms to maximize their global export potential. 

 The Japanese Ambassador to Botswana, Mr Hoshiyama Takashi said the seminar came at an opportune time and it would help the two countries to unlock new growth in companies and private sector, on the importance of information sharing on trade and investment opportunities that exists in Botswana. 

 Mr Hoshiyama said Japan had long emphasised the importance of the development of Africa through Public Private Partnership sand has continuously promoted and supported business expansion by Japanese companies in the African continent, mainly through Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) process. 

 The delegation was taken on a guided tour of the Special Economic Zones Authority plots adjacent to the Sir Seretse Khama International Airport, where SEZA acting chief executive officer, Ms Neo Mahube assured them that the plots were well serviced and ready for allocation. Ends