Akofang Kebonye, Access Bank Botswana Head of Global Transactional Services
22nd May 2025
The International Trade landscape has been plagued by unexpected challenges in the past few years culminating with an escalation in the last few months. From the pandemic and escalated shipping costs; Evergreen’s six-day siege of the Suez Canal; Richard’s Bay Port shipping jam; Russia-Ukraine War disrupting fuel and cereal supplies; and more recently the Trump tariffs imposed and revoked over several countries; global traders have been forced to grapple with disruptions to traditionally established trade channels and corridors. Closer to home, the opportunities presented by the Africa Continental Free Trade Area agreement have been countered by challenging tariff negotiations and protectionist stances by countries and trading blocs.
Amid these challenges, emerges pockets of opportunity, more especially for the Retail sector with global touchpoints catering to multiple and ever-evolving consumer trends. While there appears to be growing divisions, from the perspective of trade this presents opportunities for optionality, integration, and consolidation with an end objective of optimized and resilient supply-chain channels able to withstand local and global to systemic shocks. Chinese manufacturers and their distributors taking to Tik-Tok to advertise premium goods at discounted prices to specific markets are a good case study of understanding value chains in detail to the extent of bypassing blockades to still get goods to the final consumer. Despite its relatively small size, the Botswana market hosts sophisticated consumers with diverse tastes and the trade-friendly operating environment fosters opportunities to participate meaningfully in regional and even continental markets. Players who excel sustainably in the Botswana market will find themselves in good standing to succeed in other markets.
According to Statista Market Insights, Botswana’s retail market is valued at BWP 24 billion, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.66%. Consumer behavior is evolving, particularly among younger, tech-savvy demographics. Online shopping is growing, albeit from a low base, and mobile money is gaining traction. Yet for many SMEs, limited access to digital payment systems, real-time banking tools, and tailored financing continues to restrict their ability to scale.
This is where Access Bank Botswana is helping shift the narrative.
Access Bank Botswana has invested significantly in building a digital ecosystem that aligns with the country’s broader economic priorities, namely, financial inclusion, job creation and innovation. As part of the Access Bank Group, with operations across 15 African countries and over 63 million customers globally, the Botswana subsidiary has inherited both scale and experience in delivering tech-driven banking solutions that meet real-world challenges.
Access Bank Botswana’s approach centered on scalable technology, ecosystem thinking, and inclusion offers a blueprint for how the financial sector can actively enable Botswana’s retail revolution.
At the heart of its retail offering is Primus+, a business banking platform designed for efficiency, transparency and accessibility. Built with businesses including SMEs in mind, Primus+ allows retail companies to manage cash flow, perform transactions, and receive payments securely digitally. With over 12.5 million USSD users across the Access Bank network and more than 18.5 million internet banking users, the Group’s digital adoption strategy is already well proven.
For many growing businesses the challenge of access to funding is often misinterpreted to mean access to borrowing. While Access Bank Botswana has a full suite of lending solutions, we believe that a solid foundation for good borrowing is sound day-to-day financial management from basic record keeping to forecasting and accurate reporting. It is with this in mind that our value position is centered around robust transactional banking platforms. These facilitate effective cash management which positions clients to optimize utilization of cash and effectively manage borrowing obligations as needs arise.
Another standout feature is the Cash Depositing Machine (CDM), a tool that enables 24/7 cash processing with instant value crediting. For retail operators who handle large volumes of physical cash, the CDM reduces transit risk, increases liquidity, and improves operational efficiency. This is particularly valuable for Botswana’s wholesale distributors, supermarket chains, and informal market traders.
Equally transformative is the bank’s SmartPOS device, powered by Android technology and equipped with dual SIM and Wi-Fi connectivity. The device supports innovations such as QR payments, contactless card transactions, and real-time settlement six days a week. For retailers who previously relied solely on cash, this innovation offers a gateway into the formal financial system.
Our value chain and ecosystem-based approach to client solutioning based on various Distributor Credit Programmes in partnership with various corporate anchors enables us to solution for client groups based on their specific profiled needs and craft tailored programmes that solve for their working capital needs and allow them to focus solely on their core business.
From a macroeconomic standpoint, the adoption of digital tools in the retail space could also improve fiscal transparency and revenue collection. As more businesses formalize and integrate with digital platforms, the government stands to benefit from better data, tax compliance, and broader economic participation.
Beyond the technology itself, Access Bank Botswana is also prioritizing education and empowerment. Initiatives like the W Banking Program offer women entrepreneurs access to mentorship, networking, and bespoke financial products. This focus on inclusion is critical, given that women and youth form a large share of the country’s informal retail sector.
Moreover, the bank’s suite of API-based e-commerce integrations supports larger corporates in establishing secure online sales channels. Whether through hosted payment pages or direct integration into shopping platforms, Access Bank enables seamless customer experiences while lowering transaction costs for businesses.
As the country pursues its Vision 2036 agenda of economic diversification and inclusive development, digital banking will play an increasingly vital role in unlocking opportunity. The future of retail in Botswana is not just about storefronts, it’s about platforms, systems, and smart financial partnerships.
In this new landscape, banks must evolve from being service providers instead be long-term, reliable solution partners. Access Bank Botswana has already taken that step and continues to journey with its clients and improve the lives of many Batswana.
