The Botswana Investment and Trade Centre (BITC) is participating in the second edition of the Maun Trade Expo, held from 1 to 3 October 2026, as businesses, investors and customers gather to explore opportunities and strengthen entrepreneurship in the North-West District. The youth-owned initiative, led by Mr Onkatametse Meti, provides a platform for businesses to showcase their products and services while creating opportunities for partnerships and investment. BITC’s participation brings an additional focus on investment promotion, export development and the growth of citizen-owned enterprises. The Expo also provides an opportunity to examine the economic potential of Maun beyond its established tourism industry. Through engagement with businesses and investors, the event seeks to support connections that can contribute to sustainable economic development in Botswana.
Speaking at the Maun Trade Expo, Minister of Trade and Entrepreneurship Hon. Tiroeaone Ntsima encouraged participants to use the event to identify opportunities, establish meaningful business relationships and contribute to Botswana’s economic growth. His message highlighted the importance of trade exhibitions as spaces where businesses can move beyond displaying their products and actively pursue commercial relationships. Entrepreneurs can use such platforms to meet potential customers, suppliers, investors and business partners. These connections can create opportunities that continue after an exhibition has ended. The Minister’s call also placed responsibility on participants to approach the Expo with a focus on practical opportunities and relationships that can contribute to business growth.
The participation of BITC is particularly relevant to the Expo’s focus on connecting businesses with wider economic opportunities. BITC Director of Business Services Mr Moemedi Mokgosi called for an inclusive economic ecosystem in Maun that looks beyond tourism alone. Tourism and hospitality remain important sectors for the town and the wider North-West District, but Mokgosi highlighted several other areas with potential for economic activity and investment. These include aviation, transport, creative industries, mining, industrial development and local supplier opportunities. Broadening the economic base can create additional avenues for businesses and entrepreneurs to participate in commercial activity and benefit from investment.
Maun has long been associated with tourism, making it a natural focal point for hospitality and related businesses. However, the range of sectors identified at the Expo points to a wider conversation about the district’s economic potential. Aviation and transport can support the movement of people and goods, while creative industries can provide opportunities for entrepreneurs working in areas such as design, media and cultural production. Mining and industrial development represent other areas where investment and local enterprise can potentially intersect. Local supplier development can also create opportunities for citizen-owned businesses to participate in value chains connected to larger companies and investment projects.
Mokgosi described Maun as being rich in bankable opportunities that can be packaged and presented to investors. This perspective places emphasis on the need for businesses and investment opportunities to be clearly developed and presented in ways that potential investors can understand. Investors generally need information about a business or project, including its commercial potential and the conditions required for implementation. For entrepreneurs, developing a clear proposition can make it easier to communicate what they offer and what kind of partnership or investment they seek. The Expo provides a physical platform for these conversations, but the potential value lies in maintaining and developing those relationships after the event.
The emphasis on partnerships is central to BITC’s role at the Maun Trade Expo. Businesses may have products, services or ideas but still require access to markets, finance, suppliers, technology or strategic partners to expand. Investors may identify opportunities but need reliable local businesses capable of supplying goods and services. Connecting these different interests can help strengthen the relationship between investment and local enterprise. BITC’s participation supports this process by creating opportunities for businesses to learn more about investment and export opportunities while connecting with other exhibitors and potential commercial partners.
Citizen participation is another important part of the economic development discussion surrounding the Expo. BITC seeks to connect citizen-owned enterprises with procurement and supplier development opportunities associated with investment. This can help create pathways for local businesses to participate in economic activity generated by larger investments. Supplier development can also support businesses as they work to meet the requirements of larger customers and compete for commercial opportunities. The broader objective is to ensure that investment contributes to local business participation and that economic value reaches businesses and communities.
The focus on export opportunities also gives the Maun Trade Expo a wider commercial dimension. Businesses that can develop competitive products and services may have opportunities to serve customers beyond their immediate local markets. Export development requires businesses to understand markets, maintain appropriate standards and build the capacity needed to meet customer requirements. BITC’s role includes promoting Botswana’s products and services and supporting businesses seeking to compete locally and internationally. For entrepreneurs in the North-West District, access to information about export opportunities can help them consider how their products and services might reach markets beyond Botswana.
The Expo also creates an opportunity for businesses to learn from one another. Entrepreneurs operating in different sectors can exchange experiences and identify areas where their activities may complement each other. A hospitality company, for example, may have potential links with transport providers, creative businesses or local suppliers. Similar connections can emerge between manufacturers, service providers and businesses seeking to expand their supply networks. These relationships can strengthen the local business ecosystem by encouraging cooperation rather than limiting commercial activity to individual companies operating independently.
The youth ownership of the Maun Trade Expo adds another important dimension to the initiative. Led by Onkatametse Meti, the event demonstrates the role young entrepreneurs can play in creating platforms that bring businesses and communities together. Youth participation in entrepreneurship is important because young business owners need opportunities to develop networks, reach customers and engage with institutions that can support enterprise development. A trade expo can provide a practical environment for young entrepreneurs to present their ideas and interact with established businesses and investors. The initiative therefore contributes to the wider conversation about entrepreneurship and economic participation in Botswana.
BITC’s presence at the event also supports the broader Re Godisa Botswana message of creating connections, unlocking opportunities and growing together. The approach links investment promotion with enterprise development and the participation of citizen-owned businesses. Rather than viewing investment and local entrepreneurship as separate areas, the focus is on finding ways for them to support each other. Major investments can create demand for goods and services, while capable local businesses can contribute to supply chains and economic activity. Building these connections can help create a more inclusive business environment in which local enterprises have opportunities to participate in growth.
For businesses attending the Maun Trade Expo, the event offers more than an opportunity to display products and services. It provides a chance to engage with potential customers, investors, suppliers and partners while learning about opportunities within the North-West District. Businesses can use the platform to understand where their capabilities may fit into emerging investment and supplier opportunities. They can also use conversations at the Expo to identify areas where they need to improve their products, services or business processes. The value of participation therefore depends not only on what happens during the three-day event but also on the relationships and opportunities businesses develop afterwards.
The second edition of the Maun Trade Expo highlights the growing importance of connecting investment, entrepreneurship and local enterprise in Botswana. BITC’s participation places attention on the North-West District’s potential across tourism and hospitality, aviation, transport, creative industries, mining, industrial development and supplier development. The message from the Expo is that Maun’s economic opportunities should be explored broadly and that businesses should actively build partnerships that can continue beyond the event. By connecting citizen-owned enterprises with investment, procurement and export opportunities, BITC aims to support businesses seeking to grow in Botswana and compete internationally. The Maun Trade Expo ultimately provides a platform for businesses, investors and communities to connect, explore opportunities and contribute to the goal of growing together and creating a stronger, more inclusive economy.
