28 Jul 2026

The Minister of Trade and Entrepreneurship says Botswana’s industrial future must be built through value chains and stronger collaboration between government, industry and entrepreneurs.

Speaking at the 10th Anniversary Trade Up North Expo in Francistown recently, Minster Tiroeaone Ntsima, said development should move beyond mineral extraction to creating industries around mines.

“Botswana’s next chapter of industrial development will be written through value chains not by Government alone, and not by industry alone, but by connecting our mineral resources, manufacturing capability, entrepreneurs, risk capital, skills and markets,” Mr Ntsima said.

He said government and the private sector must use procurement to build companies that could create sustainable jobs, invest in equipment and compete for larger work.

To do this, large buyers should provide more visibility into future procurement so that local firms can prepare and access finance.

The Minister added that Botswana must also look beyond its borders. “Our aim should not be simply to replace an imported product on a shelf, it should be to build firms capable of placing Botswana-made products on shelves and industrial sites across the region,” he said.

Mr Ntsima committed that the Ministry would work with stakeholders to identify priority inputs for local production, align supplier development with demand, and mobilize industrial finance, noting that the expo should produce a shortlist of products for local manufacture and key constraints requiring government action.

“The Trade Up North Expo will have served its purpose if these conversations continue after the exhibition stands have been packed away,” he stressed.

For his part, the Mayor of the City of Francistown, Mr Gaone Majere, said the conference marked an important milestone, not only for Trade Up North, but for Botswana’s journey towards building a vibrant, diversified, and globally competitive economy.

He pointed out that for 10 years the platform had served as a catalyst for dialogue, collaboration, innovation and investment to unlock the immense economic potential of Northern Botswana and  the nation as a whole.

Mr Majere said Francistown occupied a unique strategic position within Botswana and the Southern African region, serving as the gateway to northern Botswana and a critical link connecting the country to neighbouring markets across the Southern African Development Community region.

“The city is perfectly positioned as an anchor for the African Continental Free Trade Area. This strategic location presents enormous opportunities for investment in logistics, manufacturing, mining services, agro-processing, tourism, property development, healthcare, education and the digital economy,” Mr Majere said.

He affirmed that the City of Francistown remained committed to creating an enabling environment for investment through improved infrastructure, efficient service delivery as evidenced by the city council’s institutionalisation Quality Management Systems, good governance and strategic partnerships with both the public and private sectors.

“The future of Botswana’s economy will increasingly depend on collaboration. Government cannot do it alone. The private sector cannot succeed in isolation. Local authorities cannot transform communities without partnerships,” he said. ENDS