Botswana

Entered market 

1950

An agency to Mafeking was opened at Lobatsi in 1950 by Barclays Bank (Dominion, Colonial and Overseas), marking the Bank's entrance into Botswana. Four years later, in 1954, the first full branch was opened at Francistown. By 1972, Barclays had 22 offices within Botswana, and its staff comprised primarily Botswanians. The Bank's business was incorporated as Barclays Bank of Botswana (BBB) in 1975, and its Head Office was established at Gaborone. In 1978, an agency opened at Jwaneng to serve what was then seen as the largest diamond mine in the world. Public shares were issued in 1986, and in the 1990s, Barclays enjoyed its success as the largest commercial bank in Bostwana, with 42 offices and 1,000 staff. The Bank also drew praise from President Dr Quett Masire, who embraced Barclays for their efforts to introduce industry and commerce into traditional farming communities. In 1996, personal bankers were introduced to the country, and in 2001, Barclaycard was launched. In 2007 Botswana was included in the Banking on Brighter Futures campaign, which aims to help disadvantaged people work towards financial independence, and as part of this in 2009 Barclays launched the You Can B programme, a partnership with Junior Achievement Worldwide, designed to provide entrepreneurial opportunities, work experience and financial literacy for 8,000 students across three continents, over two years. In 2007 BBB also signed a memorandum of understanding with the Local Enterprise Authority, reaffirming its commitment to the development of small and medium businesses. 2008 saw the launch of the Barclays F G Mogae Scholarship Fund for aspiring Master’s degree students, and in 2009 BBB staff completed their building of a library for the children of Molefe primary school at Kopong. The same year saw Barclays partnering Mothers for All and Kalahari Conservation Society in projects designed to benefit communities in the Okavango Basin region. BBB also published its first sustainability report. 2009 saw new products for customers, including Montshegetsi, a whole-life insurance policy that doesn’t require medical under-writing, and Hello Money, Barclays Botswana’s mobile banking service. In 2010 and 2012 Barclays was named as Bank of the Year in Botswana by The Banker magazine. In 2013, it was announced that Barclays Botswana was to be incorporated into Barclays Africa Group Ltd (BAGL), of which Barclays owned 62.3%. In May 2016 Barclays announced plans for a progressive reduction of its shareholding in BAGL, to be completed within 3 years, as part of its long term strategy and in response to prevailing regulatory capital rules and the UK bank levy, initially to 50.1% of BAGL’s capital. In 2017 the holding was further reduced to 16.4%. Full separation was announced in 2018, with provision for Barclays’ branding to be used until 2020.

Traded as

Barclays International