𝗕𝗢𝗧𝗦𝗪𝗔𝗡𝗔 𝗢𝗜𝗟 𝗜𝗡𝗖𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗦𝗘𝗦 𝗖𝗜𝗧𝗜𝗭𝗘𝗡 𝗧𝗥𝗨𝗖𝗞𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗢𝗪𝗡𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗣 𝗜𝗡 𝗙𝗨𝗘𝗟 𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗨𝗦𝗧𝗥𝗬 • Ownership of citizen trucks in fuel transportation rise from 3% to 25% • Of 400 trucks transporting fuel, 116 are citizen owned Botswana Oil Limited Senior Manager- Commercial, Thabo Simon, has said the National Oil Company has made strides in enhancing citizen participation within the oil industry. Speaking as a panelist on the theme "Enhancing Private Sector Growth Through Value Chain Development," at the ongoing National Business Conference in Francistown, Simon highlighted the historical barriers that have hindered local participation in the sector and the transformative role that BOL has played in overcoming these challenges. "For many years, there was a huge barrier to entry in the oil industry. Citizens were not able to participate in the fuel industry value chain in Botswana," Simon said. He explained that the industry was largely dominated by a few multinational companies, leaving little room for local entrepreneurs to thrive. However, BOL was established with a mandate to change this dynamic by facilitating meaningful participation of Batswana in the oil sector. One of the most notable achievements shared by Simon was the significant increase in the number of Batswana-owned fuel trucking businesses. "Before BOL, less than 3 percent of Batswana were in the fuel trucking business. Today, 10 years since Botswana Oil was formed, the number has risen to 25%. Of the 400 trucks transporting fuel, 116 are now owned by Batswana," he reported. He said this represents a substantial improvement in citizen involvement, directly contributing to the growth of the local economy. Simon also highlighted a key facilitation role played by Botswana Oil in negotiating with SASOL, a major fuel supplier, to allow Batswana to buy fuel directly from them. Initially, local entrepreneurs faced barriers to entry, including the lack of capacity required by refineries. To address these challenges, BOL has been instrumental in capacitating citizens, providing training, and helping them secure funding through partnerships with commercial banks. Botswana Oil's efforts extend beyond just opening doors for local participation. Simon said the National Oil company consistently engages with citizen-owned companies to ensure they understand the industry dynamics and operate efficiently. "Botswana Oil constantly engages citizen companies to ensure that there is continual engagement to understand what the industry is about and making sure that things are done well," Simon added. BOL has been granted a 90% quota allocation to import all petroleum products into Botswana. This order, which came into operation on the 1st of April 2024, marked a major shift in BOL's mandate to empower local businesses. The remaining 10% of the quota has been allocated to citizen companies, further enhancing their participation in the sector.
Why not use bulk rail road … You are destroying our already dilapidated rods
B.Eng.(Hons., Leeds), MES (UK), Prof Grad MIOM3 (UK), MCIMM (Canada), PGCert BA (EBS,H-WU), MDP (SU), ELMP (UJ), Exec. Director, Metallurgy Technology @ Gomba Mining Pty Ltd, MD @ MetChem Services Pty Ltd
2moWhy not use bulk rail road … You are destroying our already dilapidated roads and causing congestion