International Economics (IEC) supported Botswana Investment and Trade Centre (BITC) in conducting a sector study to identify potential for ICT export expansion as well as investment opportunities in the ICT sector in Botswana and inform the design of strategies and policies to spur growth in the ICT sector and IT-enabled services.
The sector study considered, as part of the analysis, investment opportunities in labour-intensive segments of the ICT sector; and explore investment and employment opportunities for women and rural communities. The component of the policy and regulatory analysis of the ICT sector study assessed, among others, specific areas to be addressed to enable ease of participation of women in the ICT SME sub-sector.
Botswana’s exports of telecommunications and computer services, albeit small, suggest that there could be scope to exploit export-oriented investment opportunities in the ICT sector with the potential to expand ICT services exports further. In addition, the ICT sector is also seen as a critical enabler for the efficient delivery of products and services across all economic sectors, including government services. However, despite the high levels of infrastructure investment, there is little evidence of an expected incoming flow of ICT-related FDI, or innovative local investors preparing to build out digital platforms and offer new creative services.
IEC’s approach is to assess Botswana’s ICT sector with the aim of identifying investment opportunities in the potential to promote exports of ICT-enabled services, including digital technologies. As part of the overall study, a sector study to identify the potential for ICT export expansion, as well as investment opportunities in the ICT sector in Botswana was presented. The study also addressed the design of strategies and policies to spur growth in the ICT sector and IT-enabled services.
The methodology was anchored on this overall objective designed to deliver a practical and comprehensive report borne out of extensive stakeholder engagement and consultations, as well as benchmarking and desk research, combined with an extensive literature review to support Botswana to exploit export-oriented investment opportunities in the ICT sector, and expand ICT goods and service exports.
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