Press Release

Barclays Bank named ‘Best Bank in Botswana’ by the Banker Magazine

Barclays Bank of Botswana (BBB) has been named ‘Best Bank in Botswana’ by The Banker Magazine, the world's premier banking and finance magazine. read in 150 countries around the world. This is the third award won by BBB in 2010, after the ‘Best Bank in Botswana’ by emea and the ‘Best Published CSR report’ at the recently held PWC/BOCCIM awards.

According to the judges, led by Brian Caplen, the Editor of the magazine, they were impressed by "the bank's overall figures as BBB's Tier 1 capital grew by 21% between 2008 and 2009, and it added P95m ($14m) to its profit before tax and P404m to its loans and advances to customers. A key strategy implemented in early 2009 was to maintain the quality of the commercial book by aligning the bank's risk management procedures with more efficient customer relationship management. As a result, the bank's management costs eased, leading to an increase in profit before tax figures."

The awards, which are in their 11th year, attracted interest from all over the world, with awards for the best bank given in 149 countries – the highest number of countries in the awards’ history.

“We are delighted to be recognised by such a premier banking publication globally. It’s testimony of our commitment to the development of the financial sector in Botswana, which we have been doing for the past 60 years,” said Wilfred Mpai, Barclays Bank of Botswana’s  Acting Managing Director.

Barclays set up in Botswana in 1950 and is synonymous with Botswana’s development and heritage. Currently, Barclays operates in 13 areas where no other financial service provider operates in Botswana. 2010 marks 60 years of Barclays continuous operations in Botswana.

The Banker is part of the Financial Times Group and a  key source of data and analysis for the banking industry. Its unique database of more than 4000 banks maps their financial strength and soundness via Tier 1 capital, their profitabilility, and their performance versus their peers. The Banker has been providing global financial intelligence since 1926 and has built a reputation for objective and incisive reporting on major events.

Barclays Bank of Botswana intensifies its financial literacy campaign

Barclays Bank of Botswana (BBB) commemorated the International Literacy Day on September 8th across the country through providing financial literacy training to the unbanked and under banked population. This training helps disadvantaged people improve their financial literacy and money management skills thus empowering them to make informed decisions.

Colleagues in Gaborone, Jwaneng, Selibe Phikwe and Serowe held training sessions for different groups around the country amongst them street vendors, hawkers, public transport drivers, adult learners and micro traders and shared with them different aspects of money management.

The commemoration is part of the on going financial literacy campaign that BBB launched in March 2010. The training covers topics such as budgeting, savings, types of loans, future financial needs and the difference between wants and needs, amongst other things.

Commenting on the progress of the campaign so far, Wilfred Mpai, the Acting Managing Director of Barclays Bank of Botswana said, “Money management is a critical life skill and we are glad to be partnering with the community to impart this skill to them especially in our consumer driven society.”

Some of the organisations that have already benefited from this campaign include; Kgetsi ya Tsie which is a unique organization that promotes entrepreneurship amongst women in the Tswapong Hills, an area that is well known for its unique environment features. KYT as it is popularly known engages women in twenty-six villages who are utilizing their natural environment to produce environmentally friendly products; Basket Weavers from Etsha village in the north; care givers of HIV positive children at Baylor’s Paediatric Clinic of Excellence, Motswedi and Kopong Junior Schools and young artists at Thapong Visual Arts Centre.

The financial literacy training is aligned with Barclays Community Investment Strategy under the Banking on Brighter Futures theme which focuses on financial inclusion and education, creation of employment and entrepreneurship.

This is part of a wider campaign that is being carried out by Barclays colleagues across Africa in Ghana, Mauritius, Kenya, Zambia, Egypt, Tanzania, Uganda and South Africa.

Barclays named ‘Best Bank in Botswana’ by emeafinance Magazine

For the second year running, Barclays Bank of Botswana (BBB) has been named ‘Best Bank in Botswana’ by emeafinance Magazine.

According to the Publisher and CEO of the magazine, Chris Moore, “Barclays Bank of Botswana was recognised for outperforming its peers by distinguishing itself over a number of criteria including but not limited to financial performance, growth in key areas like profit, assets, customers, branches, and overall good management and strategy,”

The Acting Managing Director of Barclays, Wilfred Mpai said Barclays is delighted and honoured to have received a prestigious accolade from a renowned publication that is read by leaders in the financial industry in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA). “This is the second consecutive year we receive an award from EMEA and it says a lot about us and the services we provide to our customers. We dedicate this award to our colleagues who work effortlessly to make us the ‘Go To’ bank, and to our customers for choosing us as their banking partner of choice for the past 60 years.” added Mr Mpai.

Currently, Barclays is present in 13 locations in Botswana where no other bank operates and has established the largest network base of 52 branches and over 101 ATMs. This extensive network is driving the bank’s financial inclusion strategy for the previously unbanked market.

BBB has a rich legacy of investing and volunteering in the communities in which it operates. In September 2010, BBB launched an affordable housing project in Moshana village that will see a total of 30 families having decent shelter for the first time in their lives. Over a million pula has been invested 32 houses.

Our community investment programme enables us to respond to issues of health, environmental conservation,
children, and youth development.

Barclays set up in Botswana in 1950 and is synonymous with Botswana’s development history.

Botswana Vaccine Institute Bond Listing A Success

“The Botswana Vaccine Institute (BVI), has priced a second bond under its BWP250 million extended Domestic Medium Term Note (DMTN) programme. The bond is the first public corporate bond issue in the market in nearly two years. 

The issue, which has generated a strong momentum in the market, was structured as a floating rate note. 

Dr George Matlho, the Chief Executive Officer of BVI says his institution is happy with the pricing as well as the efficiency of the placing agencies, Barclays Bank of Botswana and Absa Capital.

Seseti Mogami, Barclays Bank of Botswana Commercial Banking Director said: “The uptake on the paper is indicative of the appetite that the local market has for local currency instruments. Barclays is proud to have been an integral part of this transaction. We commit to continue to participate in driving the local bond market, and endeavour to remain the bank of choice for investment banking solutions.”

The proceeds of the bond will be used to complete the construction of the new integrated Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) laboratory. BVI is owned 100% by Government of Botswana and currently produces a total of 13 million mono doses of FMD vaccine annually. Post completion of the new facility production is expected to ramp up to more than double current capacity with technology for purified antigens to differentiate infected from vaccinated animals. This will position BVI to begin exports to new markets in East and West Africa. The new facilities are expected to be operational in December 2010.”

Barclays Bank of Botswana partners with Kalahari Conservation Society to host quality assurance training and an exhibition for craft weavers

On the 5th -9th July 2010, Barclays Bank of Botswana (BBB) in partnership with Kalahari Conservation Society (KCS) will host a quality assurance training and an exhibition for craft weavers from the Okavango Sub-district in Maun. Supported by Barclay Bank of Botswana to a tune of over half a million pula, the KCS Craft Entrepreneurial Development for the Okavango Sub-District initiative builds on the Every River Has Its People Project (ERP), established for the development of a meaningful and profitable craft programme to uplift livelihoods in the Okavango sub-district.

“As Barclays we strive to partner with organisations for sustainable  employment creation for our communities. The project also underpins our commitment to environmental conservation  ”, said Managing Director for Barclays, Thuli Johnson. He explained that the quality assurance training is imperative for the weavers, who are not only looking at the Botswana market for their products but internationally as well. He said that Barclays takes pride in being associated with such a poject that will go a long way in uplifting the lives of the women, men and children in the Okavango region.

The week-long training is also meant to equip and educate craft weavers with financial skills and assist them in the production of superior products that can find markets internationally. Additionally, the training will discuss HIV/AIDS related issues emanating from their communities as well as topics on community based natural resources management.

The imparting of financial skills at the workshop will be done by Barclays colleagues from Maun branch, who will share amongst others; information on budgeting, money management, project management and how to run a successful small business. This is in line with the business strategy of introducing banking and its advantages to the unbanked market, thus taking banking services to the previously unbanked. The financial literacy training will enhance the  participatnts' ability to make informed decisions and take effective actions on the use and management of their money, thus improving their quality of life.

Through the partnership with Barclays, there is a construction of  two craft studios in Etsha 9 and Etsha 13.The studios will be used as storage, workshop and display centre for finished products. The funding also goes into the replanting of the trees used for weaving the baskets, making the project a meaningful and sustainable one.

After the workshop, the weavers will exhibit their products at Maun Mall on the 8th of July and there will be a tour in Etsha village, where the craft studios are being built.

Under its Community Investment Programme,Barclays supports four key areas; employment and entreprenuership, finanical inclusion, preventive health and environmental sustainability.

Barclays Bank of Botswana releases the 2009 Community Investment Report

Barclays Bank of Botswana (BBB) has published the 2009 Community Investment Report. The report focuses on the success stories of the bank’s community partnerships that include; Stepping Stones International, Baylor’s Teen Club, Kalahari Conservation Society amongst others. This is the second report that the business has published as a separate document from the main annual report.

the banks community investment strategy have three broad themes. They are Banking on brighter futures which focus on youth employment and entreprenuership, financial literacy and inclusion; Looking after local communities focusing on preventive health and environmental sustainability and lastly, Charity Begins at Work which is our colleague volunteering programme.

 “As a responsible and responsive corporate citizen, we have an obligation not only to demonstrate how community investment is done, but also to constantly seek ways to do it effectively,” says the Barclays Bank of Botswana, Board Chairman, Rizwan Desai.

Last year, BBB released its first ever Community Investment Report which also won the BOCCIM/PWC Best Published Corporate Social Responsibility Report for 2008.

Barclays Bank partners with the Ministry of Finance to empower local authorities

Barclays Bank of Botswana (BBB) is committed to empowering customers with the right skills and education to enable them to make informed decisions. BBB recently sponsored a national conference for Treasurers in the Local Government to equip them with financial management skills to effectively carry out their mandate at the District Councils.

"Our responsibility as a corporate citizen is to ensure that that our expertise as a financial institution continues to be shared with our clients. Barclays Bank of Botswana is proud to continue to play a critical role in the development of  the country’s economy over the 60 years of our existence in Botswana," said Seseti Mogami, Barclays Bank of Botswana Commercial Banking Director.

The Director of the Department of Local Government Finance and Procurement Services, Catherine Marakalala commended Barclays for the commitment and support, which she said was testimony to the commitment to the Bank’s vision in Botswana. "I am confident that this partnership will indeed take our country to another level."

The conference discussed financial issues including centralised purchasing, debt collections strategies, new accounting systems modules, cash flow management, credit and debt collection policy, among others. Through the training, the local authorities have also acquired skills to manage risks in execution of their duties, thus helping them to perform at higher levels.

Barclays has also embarked on a financial literacy campaign across the country to give young people the confidence to be able to effectively manage their finances and to develop them into responsible citizens in their adult life.

Last year, the Bank sponsored a workshop where close to 100 Treasurers from Local Government were trained on Finance Management. The workshop aimed to equip the Treasurers with appropriate skills during the global economic down-turn.