14 Sep 2026

The youth must be bold, innovative and assertive in pursuing business opportunities as government pushes for a diversified, knowledge-based economy.

Speaking during the Youth Business Forum organised by Ministry of Youth and Gender Affairs in conjunction with UNICEF, Presidential Youth Empowerment Campaign (PYEC) and Tiro Connect recently, Francistown district commissioner, Ms Chabongwa Matseka, said young people would determine how Botswana looked in the coming years.

“You are the future generation. The decisions you make today and the businesses you build will shape Botswana tomorrow,” said Ms Matseka.

She encouraged youth to seek knowledge, network, build collaborations and have the right tools and skills to compete.

“Be fearless. Be quick to grab opportunities. Be confident. Be adaptable. Turn your talents into great opportunities,” she said and explained that Francistown faced a high rate of youth unemployment due to an influx of young people from surrounding areas.

However, Ms Matseka described the city as a hub of creativity and energy, where the informal sector contributed significantly to the local economy.

Ministry of youth’ acting chief programmes officer, Ms Isabel Ndebele, stated that the forum was part of the Generation Unlimited initiative by UNICEF through the Ministry of Youth and Gender Affairs.

Generation Unlimited is a public-private youth partnership and a multi- stakeholder initiative anchored on four pillars: youth empowerment, entrepreneurship, education and connectivity.

She said the initiative directly responded to the challenge of high youth unemployment, currently estimated at 38.2 per cent.

“Youth development and empowerment remains critical, especially in this era of the demographic dividend. This is the economic boost a country gets when it has a large working-age population,” said Ms Ndebele.

She noted that Statistics indicated that youth constituted majority of the population.

Government is therefore, leveraging this opportunity to boost the economy and position Botswana as a progressive, high-income and diversified, knowledge-based country, Ms Ndele said.

She stated that many young people now depended on their parents well into their 30s, unlike in previous years when independence came between ages 18 and 22.

She attributed this to among other factors, high number of graduates with limited job market absorption, an education system that produced job seekers rather than job creators, and skills mismatch.

The two-day forum sought to connect young people with gig and longer-term work opportunities.

It is also part of government’s efforts to equip young people with knowledge, networks and confidence to thrive in business. ENDS