Kutlo Motseta
15th July 2025
Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE) has hosted the BSE Stanbic Bank National Finance and Investment Competition 2025 Awards Ceremony.
The competition followed Stanbic’s launch of a technology driven platform, ‘the stock market simulator.’
The app was launched to equip Batswana with educational tools to invest in the BSE, by creating a financial risk-free virtual trading environment.
Participants engaged in stock selection, portfolio management and invested virtual shares the performance of which were assessed over three months.
This simulation gave participants an appreciation and confidence to invest in capital markets and to experience trading.
“[Participants] learned how to analyse risks and identify investment opportunities. By mimicking a real-life trading environment, the competition equips participants with understanding both the rewards and risks involved, in investing,” said Thapelo Moribame, Head of Market Development at BSE.
Moribame hoped that the Batswsana – whom BSE found to be risk averse – would be more willing to participate in the profitable trading world of capital markets especially using local platforms.
“It is our hope that in the long run, this competition contributes to economic development and helps to diversify Botswana’s economy beyond diamond mining,” she added.
Ms. Mpho Mogasha, Head of Finance and Administration at BSE, highlighted the practical purpose of BSE’s country wide competitions.
“It reflects our commitment to promoting financial literacy, financial inclusion and cultivating a culture of investing among Batswana. Through initiatives like this competition, we aim not only to educate but to inspire Batswana to actively participate in our local capital markets.”
Addressing the nexus between the objectives of the competition and new economic challenges that Botswana’s is facing, Ms. Realeboga Phoi, Chief Finance and Value Management Officer at Stanbic said:
“This simulator creates a pool of Batswana that will partner with the administration to help Botswana recover…. As it has been said, ‘no one is coming’ … this intervention is rightly and timely placed for Botswana’s turnaround.”
Stanbic has thus far contributed P1.49 million to this multi-year sponsorship program, which includes the BSE market simulated and financial literacy campaigns. Commenting on the importance of financial literacy she added:
“… people must understand how money works beyond saving, beyond borrowing. They must understand value, time, risk, and opportunity … A financially informed individual is more likely to make sound decisions that benefit not only themselves but the broader economy”.
The top 3 winners are Ms. Khanson Enock, Mr. Golesedi Monngakgotla and Ms. Loretta Moalosi who were awarded P7500, P5000 and P2500 respectively in shares on the BSE, which that they trade through lessons they gained in the competition.
