20 Jun 2025

The inaugural Botswana Project Management Conference is set to take place on September 5-6, with the goal of enhancing the efficiency of national development projects to spur economic growth. 

Organised by the Project Management Institute (PMI) Botswana Chapter, the event will host around 300 delegates, including key figures from both the local and international project management community. 

The conference will be held at Cresta Lodge in Gaborone under the theme : Driving Economic Transformation Through Projects. 

Notable speakers include Mr Ike Nwanko from PMI Global and Mr George Asamani, the Managing Director of PMI Sub-Saharan Africa, as well as various representatives from government offices and project management professionals. 

Ms Tshegofatso Serite, vice president for Marketing and Events at PMI Botswana Chapter, emphasised the necessity of the conference in light of the challenges faced in delivering projects effectively in the country. 

She highlighted, during an interview, that the conference aims to promote project management excellence and best practices to optimize the utilisation of Botswana’s limited resources. 

As a case in point, Ms Serite referenced the Morupule Power Station project, which faced significant management issues resulting in negative repercussions for the country. 

She noted that implementing proper project management practices can help detect and address corruption, ultimately saving the country considerable financial resources. 

The conference will also introduce the first-ever Project Management Excellence Awards to recognize individuals demonstrating outstanding project management practices. 

Additionally, the PMI Botswana Chapter encourages speakers to present case studies that illustrate the impact of project management on project success or failure, inviting submissions via their social media platforms. 

With a strong commitment to adopting the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) framework, which is widely recognized for managing large-scale projects globally, the conference would help build emphasis on Botswana to comprehensively adopt this model across government initiatives and the mining sector. 

The event will be supported by partners aligned with the PMI’s objectives, with Debswana being the first confirmed sponsor, alongside Botswana Oil, Cresta Lodge as the venue partner, and Gabs FM as the media partner. ENDS