Author

Mbongeni Mguni
Financial Journalist

Twitter: @MboBW

Email: [email protected]
  • BOL finalises preps for P30bn coal-to-fuel project

    Known as Ikaegeng XTL (coal-to-liquid), the ambitious project aims to tap into the billions of tonnes of coal lying untapped in the country, with technology applied to produce various petroleum products for domestic use.While 11 companies were...

  • Brace for more fuel price pain

    As a nationwide strike by commuter transporters entered its third day on Thursday, the Botswana Energy Regulatory Authority (BERA) warned that the average P1.92 increase in petrol and diesel pump prices effected last week was still below the level...

  • BPC to replace diesel with LNG at Orapa plant

    The corporation’s general manager for generation, Edward Rugoyi told this week’s Botswana Resources Infrastructure Energy Forum that plans for the conversion were in progress.“We are thinking of importing LNG to fuel the 90MW,” he said.While...

  • Khoemacau looks to soar on strong copper prices

    Built at $412 million (P5 billion), Khoemacau Copper Silver Mine is currently the country’s sole producer of the base metal, as efforts are ongoing to resuscitate the BCL Mines and the Mowana operation, now known as Kopano Copper Mine. Khoemacau...

  • BoB expects inflation to average 8% this year

    The depreciation of the pula against the rand is also expected to add pressure on the prices of goods and services this year, the central bank said.The revised average for inflation this year is mainly the result of the higher prices that trended in...

  • Up to 60% of taxpayers dodge dues – BURS

    The BURS study, revealed at a recent media briefing recently, indicates that the tax losses could measure up to five percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), an economic indicator that for 2021 was estimated at just under P200...

  • De Beers separates ‘wheat from chaff’ as Russian diamonds sanctioned

    In line with the rules of ‘commercial diplomacy’ De Beers has visibly been wary of commenting directly on the developments around its chief rival Alrosa, the part-Russian government-owned group hit by sanctions from the West due to the invasion...

  • Debswana places multi-billion pula bet on local

    Debswana’s targets for its Citizen Economic Empowerment Programme (CEEP) are bold. Having started CEEP in 2019, the country’s premier diamond producer plans to reach P20 billion in citizen spend value by 2024 and create 20,000 citizen jobs in the...

  • Economy grew 11.4% in 2021, fastest since 1989

    Figures provided by Statistics Botswana recently indicate that diamonds anchored growth last year, as both resurgent demand for the precious stones and relaxed border movements helped the sector’s performance.“Diamond Traders recorded a massive...

  • Ghaghoo Mine sale flops

    Ghaghoo, which was the country’s first underground diamond mine, was placed under care and maintenance in February 2017 due to depressed diamond prices. At least 250 workers had their contracts terminated as a result.Okwa Diamonds, an entity owned...

  • Mineworkers draw line in the sand over Mupane

    From its official discovery in 1998, the country’s sole gold mine has changed ownership three times. Each time, corporate executives in pressed suits have gathered with their legal armies and exchanged documents in air-conditioned offices in...

  • De Beers keeps its dream of the “next Jwaneng” alive

    If a Jwaneng Mine-sized diamond deposit is hidden undiscovered anywhere in the world, De Beers is confident it will be the company to find it. And with good reason.Since its establishment 134 years ago, the global giant that almost single-handedly...

  • Local firms wary of rising costs

    The latest edition of the Bank of Botswana's (BoB) quarterly Business Expectations Survey indicates a drop in overall optimism among businesses between the fourth quarter of 2021 and the first quarter of this year. The survey was carried out...

  • First crypto platform approaches NBFIRA

    Cryptocurrency operators are required to be licensed with NBFIRA by May 25 or face fines of up to P250,000 and/or five years in jail, under the recently passed Virtual Assets Act.Yellow Card, a cryptocurrency exchange that allows clients to buy, sell...

  • Interest rates rise for the first time in 14 years

    The increase is the first in the country since 2008, from which point interest rates had gradually been declining to the current record low levels.The increase, announced after a Monetary Policy Committee meeting yesterday, means any borrowers whose...

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