In a bold move to attract investors, Botswana is introducing one of the worlds most affordable citizenship-by-investment programmes, positioning its passport as a key resource for economic empowerment. It marks an ambitious strategy to help protect the countrys future as its emblematic diamond sector faces insecurity. Furthermore, it could define Africa's participation in the global investment-migration market.
Botswana is preparing to sell something few African countries ever have: citizenship. According to a September 2025 statement by the Government of Botswana and investment-migration firm Arton Capital, the two sides have recently signed an exclusive memorandum of understanding to design and launch the country's first Citizenship-by-Investment CBI programme. In the announcement, President Duma Boko said the initiative "will enable us to secure the long-term financial future of Botswana, unlocking opportunities for business owners and Botswana throughout our nation." The forthcoming scheme, branded the Impact Citizenship Programme, will, according to the same statement, channel investment into housing, tourism, renewable energy, mining, and financial services.
The government considers these sectors as critical to its diversification strategy away from diamonds, which still account for more than 80 of export earnings, according to Botswana's 2024 Budget Strategy Paper. Since 1967, when De Beers geologists came upon the diamond-bearing volcanic structure in the country's north-central zone known as the Orapa kimberlite pipe, diamonds have been the backbone of Botswana's economy. But the diamond industry faces stiff competition from lab-made gemstones of which China is the biggest producer, declining diamond sales and ongoing concerns around mining.