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Saturday, 31 October 2026
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Botswanan press · Organization

Local Enterprise Authority

Also known as: LEA

Local Enterprise Authority — Government agency providing SMME financing, business advisory, training and market access support, partnering with banks and private sector on economic empowerment.

2026-04-232026-10-31
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News reports

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In coverage

Verbatim sentences from the source article.

  1. July 2026

  2. Weekend Post

    The Local Enterprise Authority (LEA) and Okavango Wilderness Safaris have partnered to improve market access for citizen-owned businesses in Botswana’s tourism sector, with the two organisations launching a Citizen Economic Empowerment Programme (CEEP) aimed at developing competi …

    LEA, Wilderness partner to unlock tourism market for citizen businesses
  3. April 2026

  4. Daily News Botswana

    … Over and above that, he said he was working with Local Enterprise Authority (LEA) to make his coffee available in local shops throughout the country. …

    Farmer redefines coffee niche
Business

BSE official works to open capital markets to ordinary Batswana

The News

Thapelo Tebogo Moribame, Head of Market Development at the Botswana Stock Exchange since 2016, has worked to transform the institution from an exclusive platform for corporate elites into a more accessible venue for national wealth creation. Her career spans the Local Enterprise Authority and Air Botswana, and in 2025 she was named one of the World Federation of Exchanges' Top 20 Women Leaders globally.

20 October 2026 · Weekend Post →

Tuesday 20 October

  1. BSE official works to open capital markets to ordinary Batswana

    Thapelo Tebogo Moribame, Head of Market Development at the Botswana Stock Exchange since 2016, has worked to transform the institution from an exclusive platform for corporate elites into a more accessible venue for national wealth creation. Her career spans the Local Enterprise Authority and Air Botswana, and in 2025 she was named one of the World Federation of Exchanges' Top 20 Women Leaders globally.

    20 October 2026 · Weekend Post →

Monday 12 October

  1. Minister urges businesses to build domestic base before exporting

    Speaking at the inaugural Made in BW – Sold to the World Expo 2026 in Palapye, Minister Ntsima challenged businesses to establish strong domestic market foundations before pursuing exports, arguing that local customers help producers refine quality, packaging, and value. The government committed to support local enterprises through preferential procurement and the Economic Diversification Drive.

    12 October 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

Thursday 10 September

  1. North East District Council rehabilitation supports vulnerable populations

    The North East District Council runs comprehensive rehabilitation programmes offering technical skills, training and business management education to vulnerable populations, aiming to reduce poverty and improve food security by helping able-bodied beneficiaries establish individual businesses and reduce reliance on government handouts. Projects range from small stock and catering to hair salons, carpentry and milling, with continuous psychosocial support provided to shift beneficiaries' mindsets.

    10 September 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

Wednesday 9 September

  1. PAGC urges Botswana entrepreneurs to expand beyond domestic market

    Pan African Game Changers founder Dr Precious Gondwe has called on young entrepreneurs to move beyond Botswana's 2.5-million-person domestic market and pursue opportunities across Africa and the region, including through strategic partnerships with neighbouring countries to overcome the landlocked position.

    9 September 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

Thursday 3 September

  1. FNB and SPEDU partner to finance post-mining Selebi Phikwe projects

    First National Bank Botswana and SPEDU have signed a partnership agreement to address financing gaps for industrial investment projects worth between 5.9 billion and 6.8 billion pula in the Selebi Phikwe region, testing whether Botswana's push toward private sector-led economic diversification can succeed.

    3 September 2026 · Weekend Post →

Monday 31 August

  1. Low loan recovery threatens P59 million youth fund

    A district commissioner disclosed that unauthorised business relocations and high closure rates have created a capital shortfall in the Youth Development Fund. Ministry officials and industry partners held a workshop to help 150 beneficiaries improve repayment rates and business viability through better cost controls and market expansion.

    31 August 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

Thursday 20 August

  1. Young entrepreneur builds sorghum milling business in Palapye

    Thatayaone Marope, 35, established Warona Sorghum Milling in Palapye after childhood curiosity about grain processing inspired him. With P100,000 in LEA Youth Development Fund support in 2020 and a subsequent P1.2 million expansion loan from the National Development Bank, the business has grown from one employee processing sorghum to a larger operation.

    20 August 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

Tuesday 4 August

  1. Bank Gaborone and LEA launch three-year partnership

    Bank Gaborone and LEA have entered a three-year partnership combining the bank's financial solutions and expertise with LEA's enterprise development, training, and business advisory services to help entrepreneurs become more bankable and investment-ready. The collaboration will include joint workshops, business clinics, roadshows, and SMME-focused platforms alongside tailored banking solutions and funding opportunities.

    4 August 2026 · Mmegi →

Monday 3 August

  1. Bank Gaborone and LEA partner on three-year SMME support initiative

    Bank Gaborone and the Local Enterprise Authority have signed a three-year Memorandum of Agreement to improve SMME access to finance, entrepreneurship support, and business advisory services through joint workshops, clinics, and financial literacy programs.

    3 August 2026 · Weekend Post →

Thursday 23 July

  1. Tshane entrepreneur transforms indigenous fruits into preserves and powders

    Ms Pelonomi Gabaeme, 56, operates TKT's Best Indigenous Food Preserves in Tshane, turning locally available Kgalagadi resources such as wild Kalahari bitter melon, cactus fruit, and melon into value-added products including jams, juices, and powders. She began the enterprise in 2011 after her teaching contract ended, leveraging her Home Economics background and the abundance of underutilized indigenous resources in the region.

    23 July 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

Wednesday 22 July

  1. Six Kanye farmers lose P1.5 million to July frost

    A three-day frost in Kanye District between July 8 and 10 destroyed approximately P1.5 million worth of field crops on at least six farms, damaging 1.5 hectares of cabbage and 0.25 hectares of tomatoes as well as chillies, spinach, rape, and other vegetables. The district irrigation officer noted that while frost is not uncommon in the region, most farmers had protected their crops with tunnels, and the Ministry of Lands and Agriculture offers subsidy packages to help farmers install protective measures.

    22 July 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

Friday 17 July

  1. LEA and Okavango Wilderness launch citizen business tourism partnership

    The Local Enterprise Authority and Okavango Wilderness Safaris have partnered to improve market access for citizen-owned businesses in Botswana's tourism sector through a Citizen Economic Empowerment Programme, addressing a key constraint facing small and medium enterprises—limited access to sustainable markets despite local production capacity.

    17 July 2026 · Weekend Post →

Wednesday 29 April

  1. LEA launches nationwide SMME registration campaign

    Botswana's Local Enterprise Authority is conducting consultations across all districts through May 2026 to develop a centralised database of SMMEs and establish a mandatory registration framework. The move aims to improve coordination among ecosystem players and support more informed planning, addressing persistent challenges from the lack of accurate SMME data.

    29 April 2026 · Mmegi →

Thursday 23 April

  1. Serule farmer scales velvet bean coffee production

    Benjamin Phole operates Tjikale Farm near Serule, producing velvet bean coffee—a natural, organic, caffeine-free alternative from Mucuna pruriens seeds that he says boosts the immune system and improves sleep and mood. He has acquired a trademark for OnnaBen Natural Products and expects 4,000 kilograms of coffee this season, partnering with LEA to expand distribution nationally while maintaining a mixed-farming system integrating livestock production.

    23 April 2026 · Daily News Botswana →

Local Enterprise Authority — Botswanan press coverage · Botswana Minute