First Capital Bank and Debswana partner to finance citizen businesses in Botswana
First Capital Bank and Debswana have signed a Memorandum of Understanding in Gaborone to provide financing solutions for citizen-owned businesses. This partnership aims to bridge the funding gap that often hinders these businesses from executing secured contracts. First Capital Bank will offer financial products such as working capital, asset financing, and term lending to help businesses cover operational costs, purchase equipment, and materials, and pay employees. Lesego Osman, First Capital Bank Botswana CEO, stated that the initiative seeks to foster meaningful economic participation and will also include support in financial management, governance, compliance, and working-capital management. The collaboration supports Debswana's Citizen Economic Empowerment Programme, which aims to increase local enterprise participation in its supply chain. Debswana chief finance officer, Ian Modubule, noted that between 2019 and 2025, Debswana facilitated approximately P28.2 billion in spending with citizen-owned entities, creating over 19,000 jobs, but acknowledged that limited access to timely and suitable capital remains a challenge for many businesses.
