01 Jun 2026

Informal sector traders operating outside the recent Business Botswana Northern Trade Fair have welcomed a proposal to move them inside the grounds, though many are appealing to organisers to reduce or entirely waive stall fees to make the transition viable.

That followed the address by Minister of Trade and Entrepreneurship, Mr Tiroeaone Ntsima, on May 28, who urged Business Botswana to accommodate informal traders inside the venue in future editions.

Minister Ntsima noted that the current outside setups detracted from the event’s professional image and argued that bringing traders inside would help to accelerate their transition into the formal economy.

While the ministerial directive was well-received, traders on the sidelines of the fair highlighted several logistical and financial hurdles that required attention.

In an interview, Ms Refilwe Ntshambiwa, a hospitality graduate who runs her own business, backed the integration proposal but urged deeper consultation, noting that technical issues surrounding stall allocation and pricing structures must be carefully ironed out first.

For her part, Ms Chikombe Kamogelo viewed the potential move as an opportunity for the informal sector to raise its operational standards.

However, she stated that many informal traders remained unaware of Business Botswana’s participation requirements or how to position themselves to benefit from broader economic growth.

Ms Kamogelo also bemoaned that the current environment outside the gates was detrimental to business, explaining that heavy vehicle movement created constant dust clouds.

She suggested that organisers either relocated the traders or regularly sprinkled water on the roads to suppress the dust in the interim.

Ms Maipelo Marumo echoed the sentiments and emphasised that being stationed outside cut them off from primary customers, noting that most buyers remained inside the grounds and rarely ventured out to where informal traders sold food.

Ms Marumo, alongside fellow traders, Ms Sarah Mugibelo of Themashanga and Mr Gape Masego, advocated for the waiver of entry and stall fees to ensure that the move was accessible.

They argued that free or heavily subsidised space was crucial if micro-entrepreneurs were to successfully participate in the main event.

With both government leadership and traders aligned on the core idea, the initiative now relied on Business Botswana to design a framework that balanced event standards with economic inclusivity. ENDS