03/10/2026
Our Team ❤️
𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐒𝐌𝐀𝐋𝐋 𝐁𝐔𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐒 𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐎 𝐄𝐍𝐆𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐉𝐎𝐁 𝐂𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 - 𝐍𝐓𝐒𝐈𝐌𝐀
The Maun Trade Expo became more than a showcase of products and services as Minister of Trade and Entrepreneurship, Tiroeaone Ntsima, walked through more than 100 exhibitors’ stalls, engaging directly with entrepreneurs and getting a first-hand look at Botswana’s growing small-business sector.
Moving from stall to stall, Ntsima interacted with exhibitors, listened to their business stories and explored the products and ideas being presented at the expo. His visit also provided an opportunity to reflect on a bigger question, 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙨𝙢𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙗𝙪𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙨 𝙗𝙚 𝙨𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙨𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚, 𝙡𝙖𝙧𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙚𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙤𝙮𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙬𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙩𝙝.
Speaking while engaging exhibitors at the Ministry’s stall, Ntsima called for more beneficiaries of the Wealth Creation Programme, administered through the Department of Entrepreneurial Development, to graduate from small-scale businesses into larger enterprises. He said the success of the programme should not only be measured by the number of people receiving support, but also by how many entrepreneurs are able to grow, expand their operations and ultimately create jobs for others.
Ntsima urged the Department of Entrepreneurial Development to strengthen mechanisms that help beneficiaries progress beyond the start-up stage, arguing that entrepreneurs should be supported throughout their growth journey. The Minister’s walk through the Maun Trade Expo offered a practical picture of the entrepreneurial ambitions of Batswana, from emerging businesses displaying their first products to established entrepreneurs looking for opportunities to expand.
For many exhibitors, the Minister’s visit was also an opportunity to place their businesses directly before government and demonstrate what local entrepreneurs can offer. The Maun Trade Expo therefore served not only as a marketplace, but as a meeting point between government policy, entrepreneurship and the aspirations