16/06/2026
๐๐๐ ๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ก๐๐ฌ ๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ญ๐จ๐ซ๐ฒ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ข๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ง๐ฅ๐จ๐๐ค ๐๐ฎ๐ฉ๐ฉ๐จ๐ซ๐ญ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฆ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฏ๐ ๐๐๐ญ๐
The Local Enterprise Authority (LEA) has intensified efforts to introduce mandatory registration of Small, Micro and Medium Enterprises (SMMEs), arguing that the move could transform Botswanaโs enterprise development landscape through improved data collection and better-targeted support programmes.
Speaking at a high-level stakeholder breakfast seminar held today, LEA Caretaker Chief Executive Officer Thato Jensen said the proposed framework was not intended to penalise businesses, but rather to establish a structured system through which government can identify, support and monitor enterprises more effectively.
Jensen said the absence of reliable and standardised SMME data has made it difficult to accurately measure the sectorโs contribution to employment and economic growth, noting that current estimates of the sectorโs contribution to GDP range widely from 14 percent to 35 percent. He argued that mandatory registration would create a credible national database to inform policy decisions, improve programme targeting and strengthen coordination across the SMME support ecosystem.
The proposal draws lessons from countries such as Mozambique, Mauritius, India and Bahrain, where enterprise registration systems have been linked to incentives including access to finance, tax concessions, procurement opportunities and business development support. Jensen said these international examples demonstrate how data-driven approaches can enhance the competitiveness and sustainability of the SMME sector.
Results from LEAโs nationwide consultations showed overwhelming support for the proposal. According to the authority, 98 percent of stakeholders engaged through consultations supported mandatory registration, while a separate public survey recorded 79 percent support. Respondents emphasised that any registration framework introduced should remain affordable, digitally accessible and clearly linked to tangible benefits for businesses.
