𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐀 𝐌𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐒 𝐓𝐎 𝐒𝐇𝐔𝐓 𝐃𝐎𝐖𝐍 𝐍𝐎𝐍-𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐋𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐓 𝐅𝐔𝐄𝐋 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒

The Botswana Energy Regulatory Authority (BERA) has warned fuel retailers that they risk having their service stations closed and licences suspended or revoked if they fail to address serious safety and environmental violations within the next three months.

In a notice issued on 1 September 2026, BERA said recent routine inspections of retail service stations across the country uncovered a “significant number” of facilities with serious non-compliances.

Among the problems identified are the absence of oil-spillage containment systems or oil-water separators, lack of leak-monitoring wells, inadequate or non-existent operating procedures, untrained employees and failure to provide attendants with personal protective clothing.

BERA warned that the shortcomings pose risks to both workers and members of the public, while potentially contributing to environmental pollution and contamination of underground and surface water sources.

More concerning, according to the regulator, is that some service stations had previously been inspected and committed to fixing the problems but failed to do so. In some instances, as many as four years have passed without the identified violations being fully addressed.

SOME FUEL STATIONS ALREADY CLOSED

BERA revealed that enforcement has already begun, with some non-compliant service stations around the country closed over the past few weeks.

The regulator has now given the industry September, October and November 2026 to clear all outstanding compliance issues.

Those that fail to comply face further enforcement measures, including closure, suspension of their operating licences or complete revocation of their licences in accordance with regulatory requirements.

BERA has urged retailers to revisit previous inspection reports, conduct self-assessments and, where necessary, request voluntary inspections.

The regulator will also hold petroleum compliance workshops for retailers in Jwaneng on 15 September and Francistown on 17 September 2026, with southern retailers expected to attend in Jwaneng and those in the north directed to Francistown.
#botswana

𝗦𝗘𝗙𝗔𝗟𝗔𝗡𝗔 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗙𝗜𝗧𝗦 𝗣𝗟𝗨𝗡𝗚𝗘 𝗔𝗦 𝗣𝗨𝗟𝗔 𝗪𝗘𝗔𝗞𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗦 𝗛𝗜𝗧𝗦 𝗜𝗠𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧 𝗖𝗢𝗦𝗧𝗦

Botswana retail giant Sefalana Group has reported a sharp fall in earnings, with net profit dropping to P234 million for the financial year ended April 2026 from P426 million a year earlier, underscoring the growing pressure that currency volatility is exerting on import-dependent businesses.

The results mark the group's first annual decline in profitability since the 2017 financial year, when the closure of the BCL copper and nickel mine triggered widespread job losses and weakened consumer spending across the economy.

Sefalana Group Managing Director Chandra Chauhan said the deterioration in earnings was largely driven by the 8 percent depreciation of the Botswana pula against the South African rand in July 2025, which significantly inflated the cost of imported merchandise.

"Since the majority of products consumed locally are imported from South Africa, the currency adjustment increased the cost of purchases," Chauhan said.

The results illustrate the vulnerability of Botswana's retail sector to exchange rate shocks, given the country's heavy reliance on South African imports for food, household goods and other consumer products. While retailers have attempted to manage rising procurement costs, persistent pressure on household incomes has limited their ability to fully pass higher prices on to consumers without risking
#sefalana #botswana #southafrica

A massive 1,300-carat diamond bigger than a piglet scrotum has been found in Botswana at the Karowe mine. It is the sixth-largest rough diamond ever discovered in the world.
Special X-ray technology helped workers recover the giant stone without breaking it.
Diamonds are very important to Botswana. Money from these gems helps pay for schools, hospitals, and roads across the country. Government leaders say the nation wants to polish and trade these rare stones locally to create more jobs. This historic find proves that Botswana remains the world's top home for natural, genuine diamonds shaped by nature over millions of years.
#botswana

𝐁𝐎𝐓𝐒𝐖𝐀𝐍𝐀 𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐃𝐈𝐓 𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐇𝐄𝐃
Botswana’s economic resilience is being tested as the global diamond market faces a prolonged and painful downturn that has unsettled the country’s finances and exposed its reliance on a single commodity.
In a move viewed as a significant warning signal, S&P Global Ratings downgraded Botswana’s longterm sovereign credit rating from ‘BBB+’ to ‘BBB’, citing falling diamond revenues and a rapidly deteriorating fiscal position. The outlook was set to negative, reflecting deep concerns that weak external demand and fiscal pressures could persist.
For Botswana, often praised for careful financial stewardship, the downgrade signals a turning point with serious consequences.The diamond industry has long stood as the backbone of Botswana’s economy, historically contributing around seventy percent of export earnings, a third of fiscal revenue, and roughly a quarter of gross domestic product.
Since late 2023, the sector has been in steep decline, battered by sluggish demand from China and the United States, growing competition from synthetic diamonds, and a broader pullback in luxury spending. The combination of falling prices and volumes has left producers struggling. What once looked like a stable pillar of prosperity now appears increasingly fragile and dangerously exposed to global volatility.
#botswana #china

BOTSWANA RECEIVES CRITICAL MEDICAL SUPPLIES UNDER UNITY HEALTHCARE PARTNERSHIP

Gaborone, Botswana – Botswana Development Corporation (BDC), in partnership with the Unity Healthcare Fund, marked the arrival of a critical consignment of medical supplies from Dubai under the Unity Healthcare Botswana Partnership I (UHBP I).

The shipment, comprising 36 tonnes of essential medicines covering more than 85 life-saving treatments, will immediately help stabilise supply in hospitals and clinics across Botswana, easing pressure on frontline staff and providing relief to patients and families.
BDC Managing Director, Oteng Keabetswe, underlined that the Unity Healthcare Fund is not a stop-gap measure but a long-term solution to strengthen resilience in the health sector.

He highlighted BDC’s P100 million anchor investment, explaining that it reflects the Corporation’s strategic repositioning towards being a partner of choice for projects that generate both economic returns and lasting social impact. He stressed that this milestone demonstrates BDC’s role in pioneering industries, unlocking opportunities, and ensuring that investments leave a lasting mark on the social and economic fabric of Botswana.

In his keynote address, the Minister of Justice and Correctional Services, Nelson Ramaotwana, said the delivery represents a vital turning point for the health sector.

Closing the ceremony, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Trade & Entrepreneurship, Joel Ramaphoi, highlighted that this initiative is also an investment into Botswana’s economic future. He reminded the audience that a healthy nation underpins productivity, innovation, and competitiveness, noting that healthcare must be seen not as a cost but as a driver of prosperity.
#botswana #africa #health