‘Structured SMEs unlock greater funding opportunities’
Larona Makhaiza | Monday March 16, 2026 06:00
Through Bank Gaborone’s tailored solutions, SME’s are able to unlock new opportunities, strengthen their operations, and accelerate its growth.
The remarks were shared during the latest episode of the Kgwebo Connect Series, a weekly platform by Bank Gaborone designed to empower everyday entrepreneurs and build resilient businesses across Botswana. This week’s episode featured Agrizor director and owner Ebson Mushininga alongside the bank’s Credit Portfolio Manager, Oscar Motswagole, who unpacked the practical realities of scaling a small business in Botswana. Agrizor Botswana’s journey is a testament to what is possible when small and medium enterprises are supported with the right financial tools and trusted partnerships. Motswagole said that whilst access to finance remains a critical enabler, SMEs must first ensure their businesses are investment-ready. “You must first demonstrate the ability to repay the loan,” Motswagole said. “The business should have a clear strategy, proper governance structures, and organised financial records, which are key indicators of creditworthiness. “If your cash flows are diluted because you cannot separate personal and business expenses, it becomes very difficult to arrive at a conclusive decision as a bank.” He explained that financial discipline, clean records, and structured operations not only improve approval chances but also help businesses understand their own growth trajectory. Motswagole further encouraged entrepreneurs to utilise funding responsibly and avoid overtrading, stressing that sustainable expansion requires measured decision-making. “Those that have been given funding must prioritise repaying their loans,” he said. He also urged SMEs to stay informed about developments in their respective industries and to continuously explore opportunities provided by financial institutions. Reflecting on Agrizor’s journey, Mushininga revealed that the agro company was born out of a desire to solve real challenges within the agricultural sector.
“There is no entrepreneurship that can succeed without being designed to solve a problem,” he said. As small-scale farmers, Mushininga and his wife identified gaps in seed distribution and moved to address them, initially focusing on vegetable seed distribution before securing a partnership with global agricultural company Syngenta, headquartered in Basel, Switzerland.
“We were basically customers giving feedback on how their seeds perform, but when the opportunity came, we saw that we could distribute,” he said.
From a lean husband-and-wife operation, Agrizor has since grown into a structured enterprise dealing in crop seeds, vegetable seeds and agrochemicals, a transformation supported by Bank Gaborone. This success story reflects the bank’s unwavering commitment to nurturing local businesses and ensuring that SMEs have the financial foundation they need to reach greater heights. As demand increased, so did the need for capital and a stronger organisational structure. “The obvious reason was financing,” Mushininga said. “As sales increase, there is demand in terms of capital required to finance the stock and even the structure.”