The Bank of Botswana acts as the central bank and oversees prudential supervision, payment systems and consumer conduct. Its Prudential and Licensing Department supervises licensing, capital, liquidity, governance, risk management and reporting under the Banking Act 2023 and the Banking Regulations 2025. Unlicensed banking or deposit-taking is prohibited. The current commercial-bank list contains ABSA Bank Botswana, Access Bank Botswana, Bank Gaborone, Bank of Baroda Botswana, BBS Bank, First Capital Bank Botswana, First National Bank of Botswana, Stanbic Bank Botswana and Standard Chartered Bank Botswana. Botswana Savings Bank and the National Development Bank are statutory banks; the latest detailed 2024 data recorded no merchant bank and 171 bank branches or sub-branches. No province- or city-specific banking system difference is evidenced for Botswana.
Banks in Botswana
Botswana has nine licensed commercial banks, alongside Botswana Savings Bank and the National Development Bank. Banks offer transaction, savings and fixed-deposit accounts, payments, cards and digital banking through branches, ATMs and online channels. The Bank of Botswana supervises banks and payment systems, while the Deposit Insurance Scheme of Botswana protects eligible deposits up to P250,000 per depositor at each member institution.
Tip
Treat choosing a bank in Botswana as a fit-and-verification decision, not just a brand choice. Match the account and access channel to your payment habits, cash needs and saving horizon, then check bank-specific fees, withdrawal rules and deposit-insurance coverage before transferring money. Protect your credentials from the first transaction and report suspected fraud immediately.