Most people spend money on big companies every day. But only a few people actually own part of them. The difference is knowing how your money can work for you — and even pay you back. They are worth billions of pula, but you need as little as P5.20 to start.
These 5 big companies help drive Botswana’s economy. You’ve probably used their services or seen their shops. But what if you could own a piece of them too?
You can become a part-owner of Botswana’s biggest companies for even less than the price of lunch.
When you buy shares:
- You’re buying a small piece of ownership in that company.
- That means you can earn money when the company makes a profit.
*Company values and share prices are based on Botswana Stock Exchange data as of 09 May 2025.
Here is a breakdown of the top 5 largest listed domestic companies.
1. First National Bank Botswana (FNBB)
Worth: P13.22 billion
Share price: P5.20
FNBB is Botswana’s biggest domestic company on the stock market. It’s worth P13 billion, roughly the same cost as building a large coal power station that can light up towns and power factories.
Picture FNBB as a power station. But instead of producing electricity, it makes money — by giving out loans and facilitating transactions.
When you buy a share for just P5.20 — less than a loaf of bread — it’s like owning one brick in that money station.
2. BIHL
Value: P6.55 billion
Share price: P23.00
At P6.5 billion, Botswana Insurance Holdings Limited (BIHL) is the second-largest local company on the Botswana Stock Exchange.
BIHL helps when things go wrong — like during funerals, sickness, or retirement. During COVID, it paid out P2.4 billion to families across the country.
Think of BIHL as a big umbrella. that covered thousands when the storm came. But this umbrella isn’t just for shelter — you can own the handle of that umbrella.
And owning a share means that every time someone pays their insurance premium, invests for retirement, or claims from a funeral cover, part of that money flows back to you.
If BIHL is big enough to cover the nation with P2.4 billion worth of death claims in 2021 due to COVID, it is strong enough to pay you too.
For just P23.00 — the price of your lunch— you can own a piece of Botswana’s financial safety net.
3. Absa Bank Botswana
Value: P6.06 billion
Share price: P7.11
Absa is worth around P6 billion — about the same amount Lucara Diamond spent to dig its underground mine in Karowe.
But Absa is a different kind of mine. Instead of digging up diamonds, it moves money and keeps the economy flowing — just like FNBB.
And here’s the gem:
For just P7.11 — less than what you’d spend on a cash send — you can own a piece of this financial mine.
It’s like having a tile in every bank branch, or a button on every ATM. Every time someone sends money, pays off a loan, or swipes their card — your tile is working, and so are you.
4. Sechaba Breweries
Value: P3.85 billion
Share price: P34.78
If you’ve had a St. Louis, Castle, or Carling Black Label — you’ve met Sechaba.
At P3.85 billion, it’s the fourth-largest company on the Botswana Stock Exchange — about the same amount government has set aside for building roads and railways. Now picture Sechaba as a toll road that stretches from Gaborone to Maun, with toll booths at every major stop.
Each time someone buys a beer — just like a car paying at a toll gate — Sechaba makes money.
For just P34.78 — about the price of two drinks — you are on the road to ownership.
And as a shareholder, it’s like you own a bottle cap on every drink sold.
5. Sefalana Holdings
Value: P3.76 billion
Share price: P15.00
Whether it’s rice, soap, or tinned fish — chances are you’ve bought something from Sefalana.
They have stores all across Botswana. At P3.76 billion, Sefalana is the fifth-largest local company listed on the stock market. Think about every product you buy from their shelves. What if your name was on the barcode? Every time it’s scanned, you earn.
That’s what happens when you buy a share. For just P15.00 — about the cost of a taxi ride to and from the shop — you own a piece of the store.
*A share is a small piece of a company. When the company makes money, you get a share of the profit. That’s called a dividend.
It’s like being in a motshelo, but for business — you put in money, and when the company does well, you get a return.
