A report released by Business Botswana recently has indicated that Business Botswana and the Government of Botswana, represented by the Ministry of Trade and Industry, reached a clear consensus: without leveraging technology and digitalisation, the country’s ambitious transition to the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) will remain out of reach. This revelation which was made recently was made at the 16th biennial National Business Conference (NBC), held in Francistown on October 17–18, 2022,

The NBC, centered around the theme “Roadmap to High Income: Accelerating Transformation,” highlighted the critical role of technology in achieving Botswana’s Vision 2036 goals.

Under the thematic area Leveraging Technology, Digitalisation, and the 4IR to Drive Competitiveness, the conference participants agreed that Botswana’s National Digital Economy Masterplan must be rapidly implemented to improve productivity and external competitiveness. The Masterplan outlines investments in infrastructure, 4IR skills, and policies to harness the transformative power of new technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT), Big Data, robotics, and advanced manufacturing techniques such as 3D and 4D printing.

The rationale is straightforward: for Botswana to address pressing challenges like unemployment, poverty, and social exclusion, it must embrace cutting-edge technologies and adapt to a fast-evolving global economy. With 4IR technologies reshaping industries worldwide, local firms need to rapidly upgrade their capabilities or risk being left behind.

The NBC identified several crucial actions to ensure the success of Botswana’s technological transformation: 

Accelerated Implementation of the National Digital Economy Masterplan: This plan emphasizes strategic investments in high-speed internet, data centers, and other infrastructure needed to facilitate digitalisation across all sectors.

Education Reform: The conference underscored the importance of developing a workforce skilled in 4IR technologies. This includes training in areas like artificial intelligence, robotics, and data analytics.

Regulatory Reforms: Adjustments to existing laws and policies, especially those relating to data security and digital access, will be necessary to create a conducive environment for 4IR adoption.

These reforms, participants agreed, are essential for achieving the economic growth required to create jobs and reduce poverty.

The conference emphasized that the private sector must take the lead in Botswana’s economic transformation. A vibrant, high-performance private sector is seen as essential for Botswana’s aspirations of becoming a high-income knowledge-based economy by 2036. However, the government must play a pivotal role by creating a supportive investment climate.

Another resolution from the conference focused on transforming Botswana’s competitiveness and productivity, acknowledging that the country currently struggles to attract the volume of investment needed to tackle unemployment and poverty. The National Strategy for Investment (NIS) was highlighted as a key tool for creating a competitive investment climate. Strategic reforms in regulatory frameworks, infrastructure, and human capital development are critical to making Botswana more attractive to domestic and foreign investors.