Stanchart explores full sale of its business
Mbongeni Mguni | Tuesday January 13, 2026 12:12
Popularly referred to as Stanchart, the London-based global group, first set up in Botswana in 1897 as the country’s first commercial bank.
In a statement earlier today, bank executives said the decision to explore a sale of the full franchise rather than just the WRB unit, was informed by feedback from bidders.
“Through market engagements, bidders have made it clear that they see significant value in the combined scale of the full SC Botswana franchise – including in the potential for efficient funding, operational leverage, and client coverage,” a statement from the bank says.
The sale of the full franchise is expected to take between 12 and 15 months to complete, executives said.
Mpho Masupe, Stanchart’s CEO, said the strength and attractiveness of the full Botswana franchise is a testament to the hard work of the entire Botswana team.
He said the bank would work closely with colleagues and client to minimise disruption during the sale process.
“We strongly believe that Standard Chartered Botswana is well-placed to thrive under new ownership with the necessary local scale,” he said.
Recently, authoritative sources told Mmegi that BBS Bank, the country’s sole indigenous commercial bank, was leading the race to take over Stanchart’s Wealth and Retail Banking unit.
Sources said BBS Bank had approached the Botswana Public Officers Pension Fund for funding to support the bid for the unit.
While the latest developments throw the race wide open again, the winning bidder will have to satisfy local competition regulations, specifically those around market domination.
The country’s banking sector is dominated by the Big Four, comprising First National Bank Botswana, Absa Bank Botswana, Stanchart and Stanbic Bank, which enjoy a considerable hold on the local market. As at December 2024, the Big Four accounted for 74.1%, 73.9% and 71.3% of total assets, deposits, and loans and advances, respectively, with the figures largely remaining the same over prior years.
BBS Bank, with total assets of P5.5 billion as at June 30, 2025, could potentially have qualified to take over Stanchart in terms of local competition law around market dominance.
Besides the other smaller players in the market, alternative bidders could come from outside the country’s borders. In November 2024, Access Holdings finalised the acquisition of Standard Chartered’s assets in Angola and Sierra Leone.
Access Bank Botswana is a subsidiary of Access Holdings.
Standard Chartered PLC previously said the sale of its WRB is part of a global decision to “reshape” the mass retail business and “sell all or part of a small number of businesses where the strategic rationale is not sufficiently compelling”.
Besides Botswana, similar processes are underway in Zambia and Uganda.