03 Aug 2026

Despite a difficult year marked by slow global growth, persistent geopolitical uncertainty and a prolonged downturn of the diamond market, Botswana Public Officers Pension Fund (BPOPF) increased its assets by 10 per cent.

The assets increased from P116.506 billion in 2025 to P128.337 billion in 2026.

Releasing the fund’s audited financial statements and declaring interest rates for members for the year ended March 2026 in Gaborone on Monday, BPOPF board chairperson, Ms Gaone Macholo said the performance demonstrated the fund’s commitment to prudent management, transparency and accountability in pursuit of continuous improvement for the financial well-being of members.

Ms Macholo said BPOPF remained committed to creating and preserving value for members through an investment strategy designed to capture growth opportunities while protecting retirement savings during periods of market uncertainty.

Therefore, Ms Macholo said despite the challenges experienced during the year, the board remained confident in its ability to continue creating value for members in a sustainable manner.

“Member education, communication, transparency and accountability would remain the cornerstones of the fund's relationship with members, key stakeholders and the general public,” said Ms Macholo.

She said although 2025 was a very tough year, with global markets experiencing slow growth amid heightened trade tensions and Botswana's economy constrained by the prolonged downturn of the diamond market, the fund was able to manage its investments in a manner that resulted in strong performance.

Ms Macholo said the fund also maintained a very strong and stable financial health underpinned by prudent investment, governance and rigorous risk management.
She said the fund’s diversified investment portfolio enabled it to mitigate risk and declare positive returns even in volatile markets.

Furthermore, she said the fund remain financially sound with a funding ratio of 102.9 per cent, demonstrating its ability to meet current and future obligations.

Ms Macholo said the fund continues to employ cost-effective management strategies, processes and practices that had enabled it to optimise operational efficiency while ensuring maximum value for members.

She said the fund had also strengthened governance by integrating assurance processes into one combined assurance framework to maximise oversight of risk, governance and internal controls for efficiencies.

On service delivery, Ms Macholo said the fund continue to close service delivery gaps through the digitisation of services, including the introduction of a mobile application that allows members to access their data and benefit statements with ease, as well as mobile offices to improve access for members in remote locations.

Looking ahead, she said the fund remain cautiously optimistic and would continue to focus on sustainable and impactful investment growth, stakeholder focus, accountability, performance and service delivery.
Ms Macholo also urged members approaching retirement to look beyond the cash lump sum introduced following the review of the Income Tax Act in 2024.

She said while many members opted to take the 50 per cent cash benefit, retirement planning should also include medical aid, financial planning and planning for life after work.

Ms Macholo said about 4 800 members were expected to retire this year after reaching retirement age. “The message to them was to think not only about finance but also about their future and livelihoods after leaving the public service,” she said. ENDS