Building Botswana?s Next Generation of Energy Participants
The Botswana Youth, Women and Citizen (BYWC) Oil & Gas Training Programme: 1,000 Batswana, 61 constituencies and new pathways into energy.
Opening pathways into energy
For decades, diamonds have been at the centre of Botswana?s economic story. But as the country navigates a changing diamond market, the need to build new sources of growth has become increasingly important.
Diversifying an economy also means diversifying the skills of its people.
In June 2026, Seth Resources Petroleum delivered the Botswana Youth, Women and Citizen (BYWC) Oil & Gas Training Programme, bringing together 1,000 Batswana from all 61 constituencies for intensive training and exposure to the oil, gas and energy value chain.
Women were a major part of that story. 729 women graduated from the programme, demonstrating both the appetite and opportunity for greater female participation in Botswana?s developing energy sector.
A partnership for participation
The programme was officially launched by Honourable Lesego Chombo, Minister of Youth and Gender Affairs, on behalf of His Excellency President Advocate Duma Gideon Boko. The launch brought government, academia and industry together around a shared objective: preparing Batswana to participate meaningfully in industries capable of contributing to the country?s next chapter of economic growth.
The programme was delivered through a partnership led by Seth Resources Petroleum, working with the Government of Botswana through the Presidential Youth Empowerment Campaign (PYEC) under the Office of the President, BA ISAGO University, industry and training partners, with the Botswana Gambling Authority as the main sponsor.
Maipelo Sealetsa, National Coordinator of PYEC, was among the key figures supporting the initiative, connecting the programme to the broader national effort to turn skills development into real pathways for citizen participation and enterprise.
Skills for the energy value chain
Specialist petroleum expertise was also brought into the programme through eMangweni Business Solutions, led by founder and CEO Baxolile Zwane. This gave participants exposure to specialist areas of the petroleum industry where Botswana is still building local skills and experience.
Training covered different parts of the energy value chain, including oil and gas fundamentals, petroleum products, fuel supply and logistics, storage and distribution, LPG, safety, entrepreneurship and business readiness. The aim was not simply to explain how the industry works, but to help Batswana begin seeing where they could fit within it.
Building the next chapter
That distinction matters.
As Botswana looks beyond an economy historically anchored by diamonds, diversification cannot only be about attracting new industries or building new infrastructure. It must also be about ensuring that Batswana have the skills to work in those industries, build businesses around them and eventually lead them.
The BYWC Oil & Gas Training Programme was one step in that direction: 1,000 people, 61 constituencies, and a broader set of skills for Botswana?s next economic chapter.
