- Tsaone Segaetsho
In a strong demonstration of its commitment to advancing sustainable development and empowering small and medium enterprises (SMEs), Absa Botswana has provided financing worth P1.4 billion to local farmers to support technology adoption, including solar-powered irrigation systems and water-efficient infrastructure.
This was revealed by Absa Botswana Managing Director, Keabetswe Pheko-Moshagane, during Botswana Sustainability Week 2025 held on Wednesday.
“In 2024 alone, financing to the agricultural sector exceeded half a billion pula, enabling productivity, efficiency, and resilience,” Pheko-Moshagane said.
She further noted that through various partnerships, Absa has disbursed nearly P3 billion to contractors as part of its Ecosystem Banking Proposition, designed to strengthen local enterprises and promote inclusive economic participation.
Absa Botswana also operates a Domestic Medium-Term Note Programme listed on the Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE).The bank indicated that it may utilise the programme in line with its Sustainable Finance Issuance Framework (2023), which aims to issue green, social, and sustainable bonds to finance projects that contribute to Botswana’s sustainable development agenda.
According to Pheko-Moshagane, mobilising capital for sustainable development and the green transition remains a national imperative. She highlighted the bank’s BSE-listed sustainable bond as a prime example, noting that its proceeds have been strategically allocated to high-impact green and social projects—demonstrating how innovative financial instruments can deliver measurable, nation-wide impact.
“With the SME failure rate alarmingly high, over 80 per cent, with 60 per cent failing within the first 18 months, we aim to change this narrative by partnering with organisations that equip SMEs with the tools and knowledge they need to thrive,” Pheko-Moshagane stated.
She emphasised that meaningful impact extends beyond financing. “It is also about accountability and transparency. To drive sustainable change, we must measure outcomes, report progress, and ensure that investments generate tangible social, economic, and environmental benefits,” she said.
Pheko-Moshagane underscored that Absa Botswana supports national development through strategic financing, recognising that building a sustainable future requires both innovation and responsible operational practices.
“Botswana’s abundant solar resource, estimated at 1.3 billion gigawatt hours annually, presents a unique opportunity to translate this potential into sustainable energy solutions and economic growth. The adoption of solar energy solutions is therefore not only viable but essential for the country’s transition to renewable energy,” she added.
In line with this, Absa recently introduced the Absa Green Energy Loan, an innovative financial product designed to help households adopt solar energy solutions.
“This product supports the National Energy Compact’s ambition of achieving universal electricity access by 2030, up from the current 76 per cent, and increasing the national energy mix from 8 per cent to 50 per cent by 2030,” Pheko-Moshagane said.
Absa Botswana, which has repeatedly been recognised for excellence in SME banking and ESG leadership, continues to position itself as a key partner in Botswana’s sustainable growth story.
