Citizen-owned supply chain finance firm Ticano Group has signed a US$1 million (P13.3 million) financing agreement with the Trade and Development Bank (TDB), in a deal that is expected to boost access to capital for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in rural Botswana.
Ticano Group Executive Director Opelo Motswagae said the facility will enable the company to expand its impact-focused financing services, particularly in underserved areas where access to traditional finance remains limited.
“Ticano is a people-oriented supply chain finance company,” Motswagae said at the signing ceremony on Thursday. “The most important thing about us is making sure that the supply chain is efficient — that SMEs are getting their money on time, every time, and we help their businesses grow.”
Founded in 2015, Ticano was born out of a desire to fill a gap in SME financing that traditional banks often overlook.
“When you start a business, you struggle to get the funding you need from traditional finance,” Motswagae said. “We’re not here to replace banks. We’re alternative financiers — and we are alternative financiers with a heart.”
He said Ticano has simplified the credit approval process, with funding disbursed within 48 hours and without the traditional reliance on financials or collateral like property.
“We focus on the ability to deliver, rather than the history of the business,” he said, noting that Ticano finances businesses that supply meals to schools, ICT equipment to public institutions, and medicine to hospitals, among others.
“When you open the tap, turn on the light, or receive medicine at a hospital, chances are we’ve financed a company that made it happen,” he said.
The firm also supports contractors in infrastructure and energy, including road maintenance. “All these potholes being patched across Botswana — we are part of that,” he said. “But what is even more important is having a partner like TDB who says, ‘We have the resources; let’s deploy them together.’”
Ticano currently operates branches in Gaborone, Francistown, Maun, and Palapye. Motswagae said the new facility from TDB will support expansion into southern Botswana, targeting areas such as Jwaneng, Tsabong, Ghanzi, and Charles Hill.
“I don’t just talk about towns. We want to reach everyone — villages and settlements included — because at the heart of it, we’re helping procurement entities deliver services faster,” he said.
TDB Asset Management Chief Executive Gloria Mamba said the deal aligns with TDB’s development finance mandate, which includes supporting trade, regional integration, and sustainable development. TDB has an asset base of US$10 billion.
“We provide tailored short- and long-term financial solutions to governments, financial institutions, corporates and SMEs in the region — including equity, debt, guarantees, and advisory services,” Mamba said.
She described the agreement with Ticano as the bank’s first such partnership in Botswana.
“Ticano is committed to easing access to finance for SMEs, which aligns with our mandate,” she said. “In Botswana, SMEs make up 90 percent of businesses and employ the majority of women. Through this partnership, Ticano will help drive SME growth in Botswana.”
Botswana Investment and Trade Centre (BITC) Executive Director for Export Development and Promotion said the agency welcomed the partnership, noting it would improve access to capital for entrepreneurs with viable business ideas.
“BITC is excited and impressed by this agreement,” he said. “We are looking to partner with Ticano to help more companies in our portfolio gain access to finance.”
