29 Oct 2023

Innovators have been advised to come up with products that would address local challenges and the needs of Batswana.

Officially opening the Innovation Botswana Day on Thursday, Minister of Communications, Knowledge and Technology, Mr Thulagano Segokgo said local innovators should come up with innovations that would address the day-to-day needs of citizens to uplift their livelihoods as well as to support the innovation ecosystem.

He also urged innovators to utilise the innovation fund that was established to fund young innovators, noting that P50 million was disbursed towards the fund this financial year.

The minister said to attain Vision 2036 ideals of sustainable economic development and prosperity for all, government had undertaken to support research, innovation, science and entrepreneurship.

Minister Segokgo said the day was a perfect platform for local innovators to showcase their products and to network with potential investors.

He said the drive to digital transformation had gained momentum, noting the recently launched village connectivity project, SmartBots, saying it was testament of the government’s commitment towards the realisation of the fourth industrial revolution.

He added that government’s approach to digital transformation was to activate the entire country to work towards the goal.

He also said government was in the process of reviewing legislation, policies and strategies as well as all structures that needed to work cohesively for the realisation of a digital Botswana.

The minister also said significant progress had been made.

He added that it was fitting that government was promoting the digitisation of the public sector in order to deliver citizen centred solutions in an effective and efficient manner.

Minister Segokgo said it was important that all stakeholders worked towards the attainment of a knowledge based economy and to move away from dependence on mineral resources.

He said government network modernisation was in full swing with the aim to upgrade the country’s ICT infrastructure to a desirable state of effective and efficient service delivery. Ends