Sefalana Holding Company Limited Group Managing Director Chandra Chauhan has moved to dispel the perception that he owns the Botswana retail giant, saying the company is overwhelmingly owned by Batswana and local institutions.
Speaking at the official opening of the 19th Botswana Consumer Fair, Chauhan said he has been running Sefalana for 23 years but personally controls only 5.8 percent of the company.
“I have just been running it for 23 years, and I can tell you that the business is owned by Botswana,” Chauhan said.
According to Chauhan, about 97 percent of Sefalana is owned by Botswana individuals and institutions.
He singled out the Botswana Public Officers Pension Fund (BPOPF), which he said holds a 49.4 percent stake in the company. The Motor Vehicle Accident Fund holds 10 percent, while another pension fund has a 9 percent stake, with the remainder held by other investors.
“I only control 5.8 percent, and I wish I had controlled maybe 58, but I don’t,” he said.
From P237m to P12bn
Chauhan used the platform to highlight the scale of Sefalana’s growth since he took over the running of the business in 2004.
He said the company’s annual turnover has grown from P237 million at the time to P12 billion last year, while annual profit increased from P1.4 million to P550 million.
The growth, he said, has also generated significant returns for local investors.
Chauhan noted that BPOPF alone has received more than P1 billion in dividends over the years from its investment in Sefalana.
The group currently employs about 8,500 people across the region, including approximately 6,500 in Botswana.
Sefalana has grown from its origins as a local wholesale business into a diversified regional operation with interests spanning wholesale, retail, property and related sectors.
Chauhan said the company operates in Botswana, Namibia and Lesotho, while also holding investments in South Africa and Australia.
‘If Sefalana Can Do It, So Can You’
Chauhan said Sefalana’s growth should serve as encouragement to local entrepreneurs and exhibitors participating in the Consumer Fair, arguing that Botswana companies can build successful regional businesses if they remain resilient and maintain a focus on quality.
“If a company like Sefalana can do it, then so can you,” he told exhibitors. “You have to be resilient. You have to try. You have to make a very good product, and you have to give it your best.”
He also invited local producers to approach Sefalana with products they want the retailer to consider stocking.
Chauhan said the company would assess locally manufactured products and, where they meet its standards, consider giving producers their first orders.
He said Sefalana would inspect both the products and production facilities before placing them in its stores.
The inspections, he said, were necessary because the retailer ultimately has a responsibility to protect consumers by ensuring that products meet minimum quality and safety requirements.
“We want the local producers to contact us, and we want to give them their first order,” Chauhan said, emphasising the role established businesses can play in creating opportunities for emerging enterprises.
He said local suppliers, manufacturers, farmers, distributors, logistics companies and retailers form part of a broader economic ecosystem, making stronger partnerships among these players essential to building a competitive economy.
Manufacturing Ambitions
Beyond retail, Chauhan called on Government to make greater use of the developing airport precinct by positioning it as a manufacturing hub capable of attracting investors from across the region.
He argued that Botswana’s location, economic environment and proximity to South Africa could make the country an attractive base for manufacturers seeking to supply regional markets.
“We should be able to export all the product to the neighbouring countries because we sit very centrally located,” he said.
Chauhan said Sefalana itself was exploring opportunities in manufacturing and wanted to increase the proportion of goods produced locally.
“We want to produce a lot more goods locally. We want to serve the market with our products locally, and we also commit to investing there, given the opportunity,” he said.
Consumer Fair Creates Market Opportunities
The call for stronger local participation came as Fairground Holdings chief executive officer Gorata Gabaraane highlighted the Botswana Consumer Fair’s role in creating market opportunities for businesses.
Gabaraane said the 19th edition had attracted more than 550 exhibitors, including small, medium and large enterprises from Botswana and other countries.
She said the event had evolved beyond a traditional trade exhibition into a platform combining business, networking, entertainment and lifestyle.
Fairground Holdings deliberately procures goods and services from local SMEs when organising the annual fair, Gabaraane said, creating opportunities for business growth, skills development and employment.
“This is a celebration of what we are as a nation. It reflects Botswana’s diversity, its creativity, resilience and entrepreneurial spirit,” Gabaraane said of this year’s theme, “Showcasing Botswana in Full Colour.”
The fair has also expanded beyond traditional exhibitions, with the Traders Hub, introduced in 2022, providing a marketplace for traders, artisans and emerging entrepreneurs.
This year’s programme also includes the Taste and Sip Village, bringing together food, entertainment and social experiences.
For Chauhan, however, the real value of the fair lies in whether exposure ultimately translates into business.
For local producers, his message was clear: Botswana’s biggest retailers are willing to open their shelves — but the products must be good enough to earn a place on them.
