Zimbabweans dominate Botswana’s citizenship list
Pini Bothoko | Wednesday November 4, 2026 06:00
Zimbabwean nationals top the list with 2,947 people granted citizenship, whilst South Africans rank second at 1,327. Indian nationals follow with 320, whilst 209 Zambian nationals have also acquired Botswana citizenship during the period under review.
Mokgware revealed the figures before Ntlo ya Dikgosi whilst responding to a question from Ga-Mmangwato Kgosi Ian Khama IV, who sought to establish the number of foreign nationals granted citizenship since 2018.
The figures come amidst growing calls for Botswana to reconsider aspects of its citizenship policies, particularly in relation to foreign nationals who have lived in the country for extended periods, established businesses, married Batswana, and contributed to the country's socioeconomic development.
Some citizens have argued that granting citizenship to deserving foreign nationals could help Botswana attract and retain valuable skills, encourage investment and strengthen its economic base.
With the country continuing to grapple with economic challenges and the need to diversify its sources of growth, a citizenship policy that recognises the contributions and potential of qualified foreign nationals could form part of a broader strategy to stimulate economic development.
Botswana's relatively small population has also featured in discussions about the country's economic potential. Economists have long highlighted the importance of human capital, a skilled workforce and a growing productive population in supporting economic expansion.
Foreign nationals who have established businesses in Botswana can contribute through job creation, tax payments, investment and the transfer of knowledge and expertise. Similarly, professionals with scarce skills in sectors such as healthcare, engineering, technology, education, and specialised manufacturing could help address gaps in the labour market and strengthen local capacity.
However, the granting of citizenship based on economic contribution would require a transparent and carefully managed framework that considers an applicant's qualifications, length of residence, compliance with the law, business record, and potential contribution to the country. Such an approach would need to complement efforts to develop local talent and ensure that opportunities for Batswana remain protected.
Last year, the government announced a change to provisions of the Citizenship Act relating to dual citizenship. Under the previous arrangement, a Botswana citizen who also held the citizenship of another country was required to renounce the other citizenship immediately before attaining the age of 21, as provided for under Section 15(1) of the Citizenship Act.
The government also addressed the provision concerning citizens who acquire another country's citizenship through marriage.
'The decision also means that a citizen of Botswana married to a citizen of another country and having acquired the citizenship of that other country by a voluntary and formal act will not lose the citizenship of Botswana as previously required by Section 15 (4) of the Citizenship Act,' Mokgware said at the time.
The policy change marked a shift in Botswana's approach to dual citizenship, recognising that citizens may have personal and family ties across national borders without necessarily having to surrender their Botswana citizenship.