Botswana is betting on leather processing and value addition to diversify its economy and create a new manufacturing base around one of its traditional economic assets — livestock.
The clearest example is Lobatse, where a major tannery revitalisation project is nearing completion.
The P218 million Botswana Meat Commission Lobatse Tannery is expected to be completed in September 2026. The facility is designed to process up to 1,200 hides a day, allowing Botswana to capture more value from its cattle industry instead of exporting raw hides.
The project is part of a wider industrialisation strategy for Lobatse, which has been designated a Special Economic Zone focused on the meat and leather value chain.
Officials want the town to develop into a centre for leather processing, agro-processing, logistics and manufacturing.
The ambition is significant because leather offers opportunities far beyond tanning.
Once hides are processed locally, they can feed industries producing footwear, furniture, automotive components, bags and other finished products.
That creates possibilities for small manufacturers and suppliers while reducing the amount of value lost through exporting raw commodities.
Botswana is also seeking to attract private investment into the wider manufacturing ecosystem.
The country’s Special Economic Zones Authority is in discussions with an international developer interested in developing three SEZs, including Lobatse, through public-private partnerships.
The strategy comes as Botswana searches for alternatives to its traditional dependence on diamonds.
Industrialisation, however, will require reliable infrastructure, competitive energy costs, skilled workers and access to regional markets.
Lobatse’s location provides an advantage. Its proximity to South Africa and established transport links could allow manufacturers to serve both Botswana’s domestic market and the wider Southern African region.
If successfully executed, the tannery could become more than a leather factory.
It could become the anchor for an industrial cluster that turns Botswana’s livestock resources into higher-value manufactured exports.
That is the larger prize behind the country’s leather manufacturing push.
