Botswana Development Corporation (BDC) will host the inaugural Botswana Investment Forum on Thursday, 5 November 2026, bringing together local and international investors, financial institutions, policymakers and business leaders to explore ways of mobilising capital towards the country’s economic transformation.
The forum, to be held at Fairground Holdings in Gaborone under the theme “Capital. Enterprise. Growth.”, comes as Botswana steps up efforts to diversify its economy beyond diamonds and develop new sources of sustainable growth.
The event is expected to focus on moving investment discussions beyond promotion towards actual capital mobilisation, with emphasis on connecting viable projects with financiers, strengthening businesses and developing partnerships that can translate investment opportunities into commercially viable ventures.
Vice President and Minister of Finance Ndaba Gaolathe will deliver the keynote address, providing perspectives on the country’s economic transformation priorities and the role of investment in supporting diversification.
BDC Managing Director Oteng Keabetswe said Botswana’s economic transformation would require more than investment ambition, highlighting the need for capital, capable enterprises, commercially viable projects and partnerships that deliver tangible economic value.
The corporation said it disbursed P855 million in capital during the financial year ended June 2026, unlocked P614 million through its asset recycling programme and entered the 2027 financial year with an active investment pipeline valued at approximately P1.63 billion.
The forum will feature discussions on Botswana’s changing economic landscape, investment readiness, corporate governance and the capacity of the local market to attract private capital at scale. Participants will also examine financing options such as private equity, institutional investment and alternative funding instruments.
A dedicated session will explore opportunities in the creative economy, particularly access to finance, intellectual property commercialisation, market access and business models that can turn creative talent into sustainable enterprises.
Beyond the panel discussions, the forum will feature dedicated deal rooms where investors, project sponsors and capital providers can explore potential funding arrangements and partnerships. One of these sessions will focus on projects under the Botswana Economic Transformation Programme (BETP).
BDC said the deal rooms are intended to facilitate discussions that can progress into further due diligence, structured partnerships and potential investment transactions beyond the forum.
The corporation views the inaugural gathering as the beginning of a sustained investment mobilisation effort, with its longer-term impact expected to be measured through partnerships established, investment opportunities advanced and potential transactions progressed towards implementation.
