Construction of the long-anticipated New Botswana City has officially begun, the project site has been handed over to contractor Estate Construction, marking a major milestone in one of Botswana’s largest foreign direct investment projects.
The multi-billion-pula development is located within the Sir Seretse Khama International Airport Special Economic Zone. It is being undertaken by the Botswana Development Corporation (BDC) in partnership with UAE-based investment conglomerate and Albaddad Group.
This afternoon, BDC Managing Director Oteng Keabetswe, alongside project partners from Alfateen Holdings and Albaddad Group, officially handed over the site to Estate Construction, paving the way for construction activities to commence.
Speaking during the handover ceremony, Keabetswe said the development had reached a significant milestone following its groundbreaking ceremony on June 5, with the project now moving into the construction phase.
“We broke ground for the New Botswana City project on the 5th of June. We have received a lot of questions about when construction would begin, so we have reached a very important milestone today. We are handing over the site to our developers and contractors, Estate Construction, to begin site preparation so that construction can commence.
“We are expecting activity on site, and we will start seeing jobs being created around here, as well as economic activity,” Keabetswe said.
Spanning 126 hectares, the development will feature a world-class convention and exhibition centre, four international hotels, retail spaces and other commercial facilities. The project is designed to position Botswana as a leading regional destination for business, tourism and investment.
BDC’s contribution to the project includes land valued at P198 million, while key preparatory work, including the master plan and Environmental Impact Assessment, has already been completed.
According to project details announced earlier, the development is expected to create between 14,000 and 21,000 direct jobs during the construction phase, alongside an estimated 6,000 to 9,000 indirect employment opportunities across various sectors of the economy.
At the project’s official launch in June, President Duma Boko described the development as a significant step towards reducing Botswana’s dependence on diamond revenues and building a more diversified economy driven by services, tourism and digital innovation.
Once completed, New Botswana City is expected to emerge as a major economic hub, strengthening Botswana’s position as a regional centre for business, tourism and investment.
