The Botswana Investment and Trade Centre (BITC) says the upcoming Pula Investment Conference, set for October, will focus on bankable projects to attract strategic investment and accelerate the country’s economic transformation.
The Pula Investment Conference, a flagship initiative under the umbrella of Global Expo Botswana (GEB) 2025, is positioned as a premier platform for connecting promising projects with credible investors and fostering deal-making that supports sustainable growth.
During a stakeholder engagement this week, BITC Executive Director of Export Development Promotion, Temo Ntapu, said the agency has invited citizens to present their projects for consideration.
“We have issued an Expression of Interest, engaged local authorities such as councils, and approached the central government about projects we can present to investors and financiers,” Ntapu said. “We are currently reviewing those projects, and those with high bankability will be included in what we call the deal room.”
The conference will feature curated, investment-ready projects showcased to a targeted audience of local and international investors, financiers, and development partners. It will also facilitate matchmaking between project owners, private investors, government entities and multilateral institutions.
Additionally, the event will serve as a forum to support Botswana’s economic diversification agenda by attracting sector-focused investments, reducing reliance on mineral exports, and encouraging dialogue on policy alignment, financing solutions, and investment readiness.
The Pula Investment Conference will take place alongside Global Expo Botswana, an annual event organized by BITC since 2006, with two exceptions: one during the COVID-19 pandemic and another last year.
BITC Chief Executive Officer Keletsositse Olebile told stakeholders that the expo continues to serve as a platform to showcase Botswana-made goods to international markets and attract foreign participation.
“That is why in our promotion, we attract many countries to buy pavilions and come under the umbrella of their chambers of commerce with their companies,” Olebile said. “It creates opportunities for international exhibitors to explore and penetrate the Botswana market and build partnerships.”
He added that the multi-sectoral exhibitions feature high-end goods and services, primarily local but also international, and act as a vehicle to draw investment into the country.
This year, BITC is targeting more than 300 exhibitors, 250 conference delegates, and 4,000 visitors. Olebile said the inclusion of the Pula Investment Conference is expected to be the highlight of Global Expo 2025.
