The government has now extended the plan by four months to July 2025 to address delays and align it with the new administration’s goals.
Speaking in Parliament, Gaolathe acknowledged that just 72 projects under the TNDP – launched as a bridge between long-term national plans have been finished. Around 40.5% of the projects are ongoing, whilst nearly half (48.3%) have not yet started. Many initiatives, he explained, require “multi-year execution due to their scale and complexity”.
However, the minister admitted persistent challenges have hampered progress. A lack of dedicated Project Management Offices (PMO) weakened oversight, whilst poor contract administration led to disputes, legal battles, and budget overruns. Gaolathe said government departments also "worked in silos”, missing chances to collaborate and raising costs. Delays in paying suppliers partly due to technical failures in the Government Accounting and Budgeting System (GABS) further stalled projects.
To tackle these issues, Gaolathe pledged reforms, including a “transparent, high-impact project prioritisation process” and grouping related projects to save resources. A new “portfolio management approach” aims to strengthen coordination and align projects with national goals. The government will also establish Project Assurance Processes to monitor delivery.
Crucially, Gaolathe said the TNDP’s deadline has been pushed to July 2025 to allow further consultations on its successor, National Development Plan 12 (NDP 12). The extension, approved by Parliament, will let the new administration shape the plan’s vision and incorporate advice from a recently formed Advisory Council of the National Planning Commission. A draft of NDP 12 is expected to go before lawmakers in July 2025.
Gaolathe stressed the delay was necessary to build a stronger foundation for Botswana’s development agenda. “We are committed to addressing these challenges through targeted improvements,” he said, emphasising the need for an integrated delivery system.
The Vice President said government has identified key strategic priorities for 2025–2026. These include Modernising and Transforming Infrastructure; Improving Quality of Life; Innovation and Digital Transformation; and Supporting a Private Sector Export Led Growth.
He said these priorities will propel them towards fulfilling the commitments of the New Botswana geared towards a rapid and inclusive economic growth and achieving a social equitable development that benefit all Batswana.
Gaolathe said the state of road networks, rail, power, water, and sewerage infrastructure isn't adequate to facilitate the vision of building a deep and inclusive economy.
“In addition, the absence of adequate infrastructure to support modern agriculture, coupled with the lack of world-class airports, presents a significant barrier to our ambition of becoming a regional logistics hub. Furthermore, critical social infrastructure such as schools, healthcare facilities, and housing is underdeveloped in many areas, particularly in rural and remote areas. There is a critical need to upgrade and expand our infrastructure ecosystem to unlock vast economic opportunities and, in doing so, enhance the quality of life for a greater number of our citizens,” he said.
Gaolathe said a development budget of P11.54 billion is proposed to fund infrastructure development projects. He further indicated that modernising and transforming Botswna’s infrastructure can't be achieved in one financial year, as it is a process that needs time and resources. “In this regard, leveraging Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) will play a vital role in mobilising the resources needed to accelerate this agenda and deliver projects effectively. Government is advanced on creating a legal framework for better management of PPP projects,” he said.
The Minister further said the draft bill on Public-Private Partnerships is expected to be finalised and presented for consideration by Parliament during the 2025–2026 financial year. “Once it comes into effect, it will foster a strong private sector partnership and provide a platform for domestic and international consortia to optimise the full benefit of the PPP delivery model. This will reduce the fiscal strain on the government budget and improve our growth-investment nexus,” he said.
