Botswana is preparing to introduce a citizenship‑by‑investment (CBI) scheme, making it the third African nation to launch such a program in 2024. The announcement was made at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
The proposed CBI program is intended to channel foreign capital into several priority sectors:
- Luxury tourism
- Renewable energy
- Mining
- Financial services
A key objective is to lessen the economy’s dependence on diamonds, which currently contribute about 30 % of Botswana’s GDP.
Program details still pending
- No official launch date has been set.
- Minimum investment thresholds, eligible asset classes, processing timelines, rules on dependence, and residency requirements have not been disclosed.
Passport ambitions
- Botswana aims to rank as Africa’s top passport by 2027.
- The existing passport is already the fourth strongest on the continent, providing visa‑free access to 84 countries.
- The nation holds the strongest sovereign credit ratings in Africa, which could enhance the attractiveness of the CBI offering.
Implementation partners
- Botswana is working with Art and Capital, an official partner of the International Monetary Institute (IMI), to develop the program.
- Armand Arton, founder of Art and Capital, described the initiative as positioning Botswana at “the edge of a bold new dawn” and a potential regional hub for business and innovation.
If launched, this would be the fifth citizenship‑by‑investment program introduced worldwide in 2024.
