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Botswana’s Banking Sector Expands Branch Network and Enhances Services

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Gaborone, Botswana - The Bank of Botswana has announced that the country’s commercial banks have expanded their branch network and enhanced services in 2020.

Expansion of Bank Branches and ATMs

According to the Banking Supervision Annual Report for 2020, the number of bank branches increased from 155 in 2019 to 161 in 2020, with six new branches opened across the country. Additionally, the number of Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) increased from 542 to 564 during the year. Most of these new ATMs have enhanced functions, including deposit-taking facilities and cardless options for certain transactions, making it more convenient for customers to access banking services.

Geographical Distribution

Geographically, the South East District, which includes the capital city Gaborone, had the highest concentration of branches with 66, followed by the Central District with 37. Four other districts - North East, North West, Southern and Central - saw an increase in branch network, while others remained unchanged.

Point-of-Sale Terminals

The report also highlights that point-of-sale (PoS) terminals increased from 16,725 to 18,237 in 2020, with only four banks owning these terminals - First National Bank of Botswana, Absa, Stanbic and Bank Gaborone. This indicates a growing trend towards electronic payments and cashless transactions.

Access Indicators

The access indicators for banking services showed an improvement in 2020. The ratio of depositors to adults increased from 63.1% in 2019 to 64.3% in 2020, indicating that more people are gaining access to banking services.

Key Statistics

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  • Number of bank branches: 161 (2020) - an increase from 155 in 2019
  • Number of ATMs: 564 (2020) - an increase from 542 in 2019
  • Point-of-sale terminals: 18,237 (2020) - an increase from 16,725 in 2019
  • Access indicators:
    • Ratio of depositors to adults: 64.3% (2020)
    • Number of depositors: 1,243,000 (2020)

Source

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Bank of Botswana: Banking Supervision Annual Report 2020