Sub-Saharan Africa
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Botswana Halts 70 Infrastructure Projects Due to Cost Concerns Amid Budgetary Issues

Botswana's infrastructure, strong by African standards, benefited significantly from mining sector development and its proximity to South Africa's advanced telecommunications networks. Further improvements are driven by its ambition to become an international financial center.
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Botswana's government will suspend 70 infrastructure projects for review due to concerns over costs and the efficiency of the development manager (DM) model, Transport Minister Noah Salakae said, noting that 78 projects will continue due to potential legal and financial ramifications.
President Duma Boko of Botswana cited billions of local currency pula in losses due to mismanagement and corruption. This prompted a review of the DM model and its potential inflated project costs.
Introduced in 2023, the DM model was designed to speed up infrastructure projects by assigning a single manager for the entire lifecycle. However, concerns about inflated costs necessitate a review to ensure fiscal responsibility and an equitable distribution of project benefits.
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A 40-day review conducted by a special task force will assess the model's effectiveness and submit recommendations to the ministry, as noted by Salakae.