In a bold move to attract investors, Botswana is rolling out one of the world's most affordable citizenship-by-investment programmes, positioning its passport as a resource for economic empowerment. It marks an ambitious strategy to help protect the country's future as its emblematic diamond sector faces insecurity. Furthermore, it could define Africa’s participation in the global investment-migration market.
Bonface Orucho, bird story agency
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 its diamond industry faces stiff competition from lab-made gemstones (of which China is the biggest producer), declining diamond sales and ongoing concerns around mining.
“Botswana’s reliance on diamond revenues has been both a strength and a vulnerability,” the country’s vice-president and finance minister, Ndaba Gaolathe, said, according to Reuters.
The CBI leverages the country’s position as one of the most politically and economically stable in Africa. Arton Capital explains that the programme “will raise funds to address priority needs for Botswana, including investment into the housing market to generate immediate impact.” The memorandum of understanding was signed in New York on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly, at a private investor event hosted by Arton Capital. Since then, the official registration portal, BotswanaCitizenship.com, has become the hub for potential applicants. Data published on the site in early October 2025 shows 464 people from 77 countries had registered interest during the portal’s first week, an early signal of investor appetite. The same portal lists a contribution floor between 75,000 and 90,000 U.S. dollars, positioning Botswana among the more accessible CBI markets globally. Arton Capital says final details, including due diligence procedures, vetting criteria, and quotas, will be defined in enabling legislation expected before Parliament later this year.
Only a handful of African governments have explored similar territory: the Comoros, which ran a controversial and later-suspended programme in the 2000s; São Tomé and Príncipe, which launched its own CBI programme in 2025, with a minimum donation of $90,000 USD, after initially offering residency routes for investors; Sierra Leone, which allows diaspora citizenship through heritage links. According to experts, Botswana’s entry stands out because it stems from strength, not fiscal distress. Celestine Mutinda, an independent consulting economist, says the move reflects economic foresight rather than desperation.
“Unlike many countries that introduce citizenship-for-investment schemes to plug budget deficits or attract quick inflows, Botswana is leveraging its institutional credibility to design a programme that complements its diversification agenda,” she said. Mutinda adds that the country’s strong credit ratings and stable macroeconomic framework make it uniquely positioned to redefine how investment migration operates in Africa.
“Botswana is signaling that these programmes can be tools for strategic capital mobilisation, not stopgap fiscal measures,” she explained in a call. “If managed transparently, this could set a precedent for other African economies seeking to attract productive investment without compromising governance standards.”
Mutinda’s assessment comes as other African nations test similar ideas. Egypt, for instance, remains one of the few African countries currently offering a formal citizenship-by-investment programme, according to data from Henley & Partners. The firm’s 2025 factsheet shows that Egypt’s initiative allows investors to obtain citizenship through contributions starting at 250,000 U.S. dollars, with funds channelled through the Central Bank of Egypt. While Egypt’s programme is primarily designed to attract foreign currency and stimulate property and business investment, Botswana’s planned model, Mutinda notes, “appears to go a step further by anchoring investment directly to social and productive sectors, a distinction that could shape how Africa uses citizenship as an economic instrument.”
Mutinda also argues that the move could redefine Africa’s participation in the global investment-migration market. According to the African Union’s 2024 Migration Policy Framework, most African countries still rely on short-term visa reforms and special economic zones to attract investors.
“A regulated CBI model anchored in legislation introduces a new mechanism for raising long-term capital while strengthening global mobility for citizens,” she said.
The design also builds on Botswana’s existing advantage. According to the 2025 Passport Index compiled by Arton Capital, the Botswana passport ranks fourth in Africa, granting visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to over 90 destinations. Arton Capital says proceeds will be “directed toward priority needs for Botswana,” though the framework for revenue management and oversight is yet to be published.
Mutinda warns that public acceptance will depend on perceptions of fairness. “Botswana’s constitution currently prohibits dual citizenship, and parliamentary approval of the CBI law will require either an amendment or a special exemption clause. Balancing inclusivity, national identity, and economic pragmatism will be key to sustaining support,” she said.
Still, the fiscal upside could be significant. “Even a modest quota of 500 approved investors at the minimum contribution of 75,000 dollars could yield 37.5 million dollars in inflows,” she explained. “If channelled into housing or renewable energy, those funds could generate real economic multipliers.”
“For context, that would be equivalent to more than three percent of Botswana’s annual development-budget allocation, according to official 2025 estimates,” she added.
Across Africa, similar initiatives have emerged. In Mauritius, investors can secure a ten-year renewable visa with a 375,000-dollar business investment. Permanent residency becomes available after three years and citizenship after seven.
In Egypt, citizenship can be acquired through a 250,000-dollar donation or a 300,000-dollar real estate purchase, while residency permits start from 50,000 dollars. The Egyptian Ministry of Interior notes the process typically takes six to nine months.
Sierra Leone offers both diaspora and investor routes. Individuals of African ancestry can gain direct citizenship within 60 days by donating 100,000 dollars and providing DNA proof. The “Go-for-Gold” permanent residency route costs 65,000 dollars plus one kilogram of gold.
Island states like Cape Verde and Seychelles have also created investor pathways. Cape Verde’s Green Card Programme grants permanent residency for real estate investments of at least 80,000 euros ($94,000 USD), while Seychelles offers permanent residency for a one-million-dollar investment in a local business.
In Namibia, a five-year renewable residence permit is available through a 316,000 USD investment in the President’s Links Estate in Walvis Bay, according to the same report. These developments point to a growing African market for investment migration, one still nascent but evolving quickly.
Mutinda note that, “while these programmes attract capital, they have yet to deliver the global mobility benefits associated with European or Caribbean passports.”
According to the Passport Index 2025, most African passports still rank below the global top 100 in visa-free access. Several governments are also exploring frameworks. In Nigeria, a proposed constitutional amendment to allow foreign investors to acquire citizenship through economic contributions remains under committee review.
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