Francistown businesses record P31m turnover in three months
Pini Bothoko | Monday August 31, 2026 06:00
City Mayor Gaone Majere revealed the figures were compiled from monthly business statistics collected through the Local Enterprise Authority (LEA), covering both formal and informal businesses operating within the city. Speaking during a full council meeting this week, he said a total of 131 enterprises contributed to the recorded turnover during the three-month period. The services sector accounted for the largest share at 73.8%, followed by manufacturing at 22.6%, while the agriculture and tourism sectors contributed the remainder. Majere noted the statistics provide an important baseline for assessing business performance and developing targeted interventions aimed at improving the sustainability and growth of enterprises in the Francistown region. He said economic diversification efforts had also focused on supporting aspiring entrepreneurs.
The support is offered through business advisory services and assistance with developing viable and bankable business plans for submission to funding institutions such as the Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency (CEDA). Amongst the projects facilitated by the country’s second city are PET bottle (plastic bottles) recycling and ecotourism projects, both whose funding requests were approved for funding by CEDA. The PET bottle recycling project is already operational and has created 10 permanent jobs, according to Majere. The project contributes not only to employment creation but also to environmental sustainability through waste management and recycling. The ecotourism project, meanwhile, is at the implementation stage and once operational, it is expected to contribute to economic diversification, create employment and promote sustainable tourism by utilising the region's natural and cultural resources. Majere also highlighted the role of the Francistown Industrial Business Incubator, operated by LEA, in supporting manufacturing enterprises.
The facility currently accommodates 10 manufacturing companies, comprising both start-ups and existing businesses. Four of the enterprises are youth-owned, while three are women-owned. He explained that the incubation programme provides entrepreneurs with subsidised factory spaces, mentorship, business advisory services and an enabling environment to improve their operational efficiency and competitiveness. According to Majere, the programme is intended to nurture sustainable manufacturing enterprises that can contribute to industrialisation, job creation and economic diversification. Meanwhile, efforts are underway to revive Francistown's horticultural market as part of CEDA's Letsema Horticulture Market Initiative.
The Market, located adjacent to Fire Services, is being refurbished to create a more organised trading system linking local horticultural farmers, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, with wholesalers, processors, retailers and institutional buyers. Majere described the initiative as more than an infrastructure project, saying it could help reduce post-harvest losses, improve the quality and packaging of produce, create jobs, stimulate agro-processing and strengthen local food security. He said the contractor was already on site undertaking refurbishment works, while stakeholder engagement meetings were held on August 6 to 7, 2026 involving farmers, retailers, agribusinesses, government institutions and other stakeholders. The Mayor said the engagements would help shape the operationalisation of the market by allowing stakeholders to identify challenges and share their expectations. Meanwhile, the city has welcomed CEDA's plans to develop an informal sector trading area opposite to Tebelopele.
The proposed facility is expected to provide organised trading space for informal traders dealing in horticultural produce. Majere added the development would complement the horticultural market by improving access to markets for farmers and traders while creating a safer and more structured environment for informal businesses. He said the initiative was also in line with the City's Informal Sector Strategy, which seeks to create an enabling environment for informal businesses to operate in an organised, safe and sustainable manner. On law enforcement, Majere said a safe and orderly environment was essential for attracting investment, protecting businesses and creating employment and entrepreneurship opportunities.
According to the Mayor, the FCC in collaboration with the Botswana Police Service, recently conducted a law enforcement operation targeting violations of council by-laws and other statutes. The operation was partly prompted by public concerns over activities in an area commonly known as Bulawayo Street, with one of the objectives being to curb foreigners engaging in businesses reserved for citizens. It resulted in 83 cases involving various offences, with failure to comply with licence conditions accounting for the largest number, at 47 cases. Majere urged councillors to support continued law enforcement operations, saying they had proven effective in improving compliance with by-laws and other laws intended to empower citizens. The developments, he said, were part of broader efforts to position Francistown as the Gateway and Hub of the North, while ensuring that local businesses, farmers, entrepreneurs and informal traders are meaningfully integrated into the city's economy.