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The Botswana Geoscience Institute (BGI) will take on a pivotal role in Botswana’s Country Showcase at Mining Indaba 2026, positioning geoscience, data integrity and value-chain planning at the centre of discussions shaping the country’s next phase of mining growth.
BGI Chief Executive Officer Olefile Cisco Mashabila will represent the Institute as part of the official Botswana delegation speaking during the Country Showcase session, themed “50 Years of Mining Excellence: The Next Era Starts Now.” The session will outline Botswana’s transition from a diamond-led mining economy toward a diversified minerals future anchored in beneficiation, value addition and long-term investment sustainability.
BGI’s participation is seen as critical to the Showcase discussions, as geoscience capability, mineral data and institutional readiness increasingly underpin investor decision-making. The Institute plays a central role in supporting mineral discovery, resource evaluation and policy implementation, providing the technical foundation required to expand Botswana’s mining value chain.
Mashabila, who has led BGI since 2021, brings more than 20 years of experience in mineral resource development and strategy. Under his leadership, BGI has undergone significant institutional transformation, including the implementation of a commercialisation roadmap, attainment of SADCAS laboratory accreditation, infrastructure optimisation and the introduction of new operating models aimed at improving efficiency and execution. He also led the development of Botswana’s Mineral Resource Development, Exploration, Exploitation, Beneficiation and Value Chain (MRDEEVC) Strategy, a national framework designed to drive diversification, citizen participation and value creation in the minerals sector.
At Mining Indaba 2026, Botswana’s Country Showcase will highlight the country’s stable regulatory environment, investor-friendly policies and incentives for mineral development, while also exploring opportunities across cutting and polishing, downstream beneficiation and broader mineral value chains. BGI’s contribution will focus on how robust geoscience systems, data-driven exploration and institutional capacity are enabling this shift.
Mashabila will join a high-level panel of speakers including the Minister of Minerals and Energy, Bogolo Kenewendo,Botswana High Commissioner to South Africa, Sanji M. Monageng, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Minerals and Energy, Pelaelo Khowe, the CEO of De Beers Group Al Cook, Minerals Development Company Botswana (MDCB)’s Esther Norris and the CEO and Managing Director of Sandfire Resources, Brendan Harris. Discussions will be framed around governance, regulation and policy as essential building blocks for sustainable mining investment.
Botswana has consistently used Mining Indaba as a platform to present a unified and credible investment narrative, with past participation reinforcing its standing as one of Africa’s most trusted mining jurisdictions. At the 2026 edition, BGI’s involvement strengthens that narrative by demonstrating how science-based planning and institutional leadership are shaping Botswana’s mining future.
As Mining Indaba has over three decades as Africa’s leading mining investment forum, Botswana’s Country Showcase with BGI playing a central role is expected to signal how the country intends to build on 50 years of mining excellence while laying the groundwork for the next era of diversified, value-driven growth.
