Stanbic Bank Botswana hosted regional banking leaders in Gaborone to discuss how financing, market access and cross-border partnerships could help African businesses expand.
Stanbic Bank Botswana hosted the South and Central Africa chapter of Standard Bank Group’s Amplifying Growth programme in Gaborone on 14 October, bringing together more than 150 Business and Commercial Banking leaders and colleagues to discuss business expansion and investment opportunities across the continent.
Themed “Building Africa’s Next Generation of Businesses”, the gathering followed previous sessions in Johannesburg in June and Accra in September. Participants from Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and other regional markets also joined online.
FINANCING BUSINESS GROWTH
Stanbic Bank Botswana Chief Executive Chose Modise said the gathering came shortly after Botswana’s Diamond Jubilee and highlighted the role of African businesses in economic development.
“Africa’s progress begins with Africans, with the people who build enterprises, strengthen institutions and turn ideas into livelihoods,” Modise said.
He added that the bank aimed to connect businesses with capital, networks and opportunities, drawing on the Setswana concept of botho, which he described as dignity, mutual respect and care for others.
BOTSWANA’S INVESTMENT PIPELINE
Modise said Botswana’s selection as host reflected its position as an investment destination and its ambition to build a diversified, knowledge-driven economy.
The Botswana Economic Transformation Programme identifies 186 investment-ready projects with potential private investment exceeding US$37 billion across energy, agriculture, manufacturing, tourism and digital services.
Stanbic Bank Botswana, which has operated in the country since 1992, offers financing and trade solutions for small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as structured finance for larger investments. Its parent group operates in 21 African countries.
CONNECTING REGIONAL MARKETS
Discussions covered client-focused innovation, sustainable business growth and strategies for helping enterprises access regional value chains and opportunities under the African Continental Free Trade Area.
“Our ambition is for Stanbic Bank Botswana to be a proof point for Amplifying Growth,” Modise said, referring to efforts to help citizen-owned businesses expand and connect with markets across South and Central Africa.
The Amplifying Growth programme is scheduled to continue across Standard Bank Group’s African regions and offshore markets through 2027.