New fuel tax introduced

Minerals Resources, Green Technology and Energy Security minister, Sadique Kebonang said Cabinet has approved the fuel levy, which will kick in on July 1, 2017.  The new tax will be in addition to the current fuel levy of 13.5 thebe per litre. Botswana consumes about 1.2 billion litres of petroleum products per annum.

  This means the new tax could raise as much as P200 million per annum. Botswana Oil chief executive officer, Willie Mokgatlhe told BusinessWeek that the new tax might not immediately lead to an increase in fuel pump prices as the National Petroleum Fund (NPF) might be able to cushion the effect of the tax in the short term.