Bank of Botswana

Bank of Botswana
Banka Ya Botswana

Headquarters	Gaborone, Botswana
Established	1 July 1975 (1975-07-01)
Ownership	Government of Botswana 100%[1]
Governor	Cornelius Karlens Dekop
Central bank of	Botswana
Currency	Botswana pula BWP (ISO 4217)
Reserves	7 390 million USD[1]
Bank rate	3.75%
Website	bankofbotswana.bw

The Bank of Botswana (BoB; Tswana: Polokelo ya Madi ya Botswana) is the central bank of Botswana.

When Botswana gained independence from Britain in 1966, the country was part of the Rand Monetary Area (RMA).[2] In 1974 Botswana withdrew from the RMA, and the Bank of Botswana and Financial Institution Acts established the legal framework for a central bank in Botswana to be established in July 1975, with Christopher H. L. Hermans as the first Governor.[2] The pula was launched as a national currency in 1976, and in 1977 the Bank of Botswana became the government banker.[3]

The Bank manages Botswana's sovereign wealth fund, the Pula Fund.

History

Bank of Botswana building in 1980s

Governors of the Bank of Botswana

• July 1975 - 1978: Christopher H. L. Hermans[4][5]
• January 1978 - 1980: Brenton C. Leavitt[5]
• November 1980 - 1981: Festus Mogae[5]
• January 1981 - June 1987: Charles Nyonyintono Kikonyogo[5]
• July 1987 - 1997: Christopher H. L. Hermans[5]
• July 1997 - September 1999: Baledzi Gaolathe[5]
• October 1999 - 2016: Linah Mohohlo[5]
• October 2016 – October 2023: Moses Pelaelo[6]
• 21 October 2023 - Present: Cornelius Dekop

See also

• Central banks and currencies of Africa
• Economy of Botswana
• Minister of Finance (Botswana)
• List of central banks

References

1. Weidner, Jan (2017). "The Organisation and Structure of Central Banks" (PDF). Katalog der Deutschen Nationalbibliothek.
2. "History of the Bank of Botswana | Bank of Botswana". www.bankofbotswana.bw. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
3. Morton, Fred; Ramsay, Jeff; Mgadla, Part Themba (2008). "Bank of Botswana (BoB)". Historical Dictionary of Botswana. African Historical Dictionaries. Vol. 108 (4th ed.). Metuchen, New Jersey: Scarecrow Press. p. 40. ISBN 978-0-8108-5467-3.
4. Akyeampong, Emmanuel Kwaku; Gates, Henry Louis; Niven, Mr Steven J. (2 February 2012). Dictionary of African Biography. OUP USA. ISBN 978-0-19-538207-5 – via Google Books.
5. "Milestones | Bank of Botswana". www.bankofbotswana.bw.
6. "M. D Pelaelo | Bank of Botswana". www.bankofbotswana.bw. Archived from the original on 19 April 2023. Retrieved 8 April 2020.

External links

• Bank of Botswana official site