12 August 2026
- BITC is using its Investor Aftercare Programme to identify constraints affecting existing businesses and facilitate opportunities for expansion and reinvestment
- The approach is being applied to Botswana-owned electronics manufacturer Dichaba Consumer Electronics, which serves local and regional markets
- BITC says aftercare is intended to help existing investors retain, expand and diversify their operations in Botswana as the country seeks to deepen manufacturing and private-sector activity
The Botswana Investment and Trade Centre (BITC) is using its Investor Aftercare Programme to engage existing businesses on operational challenges and opportunities for expansion, as the country seeks to increase the contribution of established investors to manufacturing, employment and regional trade.
On August 8, BITC Chief Executive Officer Keletsositse Olebile visited Botswana-owned electronics manufacturer Dichaba Consumer Electronics in Gaborone to discuss the company’s operations and potential areas for growth.
Dichaba Consumer Electronics manufactures and assembles consumer electronics for local and regional markets. The company produces smartphones, laptops, desktop computers, televisions and wireless connectivity equipment, while its services include product development, customisation and assembly.
The company says it has distribution centers in six African countries and serves both local and regional markets. Its chief executive, Thatayaone Dichaba, has previously said the business has expanded beyond mobile phones into other consumer electronics, while its operations have included customised devices for telecommunications companies in African markets.
For Botswana, the significance of the engagement lies in what happens to companies after they have already established operations. BITC’s aftercare programme is designed to retain investors, encourage expansion and facilitate reinvestment, while allowing the agency to identify operational challenges and work with relevant stakeholders on possible solutions.
BITC has previously described the programme as a mechanism for tracking investors’ concerns and supporting business expansion and diversification. The agency has also said that company visits allow it to identify operational constraints that can prevent businesses from expanding and, where possible, facilitate solutions with relevant government institutions.
Helping an established manufacturer overcome such constraints can potentially generate additional economic activity through higher production, employment, supplier demand and investment without requiring Botswana to attract an entirely new company for each expansion opportunity.
The regional dimension is particularly relevant for Dichaba because the company already operates beyond Botswana’s domestic market. The company describes itself as a manufacturer serving local and regional markets, while its founder has previously outlined sales and partnerships across several African countries.
This gives Botswana an existing manufacturing business through which to pursue regional market opportunities rather than relying only on domestic demand.
BITC’s previous annual reports show that company visits under the aftercare programme have specifically been used to identify constraints affecting investors’ ability to expand and to engage government stakeholders on possible solutions.
That makes aftercare strategically important to Botswana’s investment policy, according to BITC’s own description of the programme. Investment promotion does not necessarily end once a company establishes operations: continued engagement allows the agency to identify obstacles affecting existing investors and facilitate expansion, reinvestment and diversification.
By Cynthia Ebot Takang
Source: https://shorturl.at/x0Lfs
