• Standard Chartered has confirmed the sale of its entire Botswana business, deepening its strategic retreat from smaller African markets
• The decision follows strong bidder interest in acquiring the Botswana franchise as a combined corporate, investment, wealth and retail banking operation, rather than as separate units
• Botswana’s stable economy and well-regulated banking sector are expected to attract regional banks and local investors

Harare- Standard Chartered ,a British multinational bank focused on Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, providing corporate, investment, and wealth management banking has exited Botswana to  reassess risk, scale and returns on the continent.

In a circular released  on the 13^th of  January 2026, the London-headquartered lender confirmed  the sale of its entire Botswana franchise, following strong interest from bidders who see greater value in acquiring the business as a combined operation rather than in parts.

The move marks a strategic escalation from Standard Chartered’s earlier plan, announced in November 2024, to sell only its wealth and retail banking unit in Botswana. Feedback from market engagements, however, persuaded the bank that a full exit would better align with bidder appetite and maximise shareholder value.

‘’Group strategic priorities as set out at our Q3 24 results, aimed at accelerating income growth and return, ’reads the circular.

The sale process is expected to take between 12 and 15 months, subject to regulatory and other approvals.

Botswana is as one of Africa’s most stable economies, underpinned by strong institutions, prudent fiscal management and a well-regulated banking sector. These attributes make the country attractive to regional lenders and domestic investors seeking established banking platforms with deep corporate relationships.

Despite Botswana’s strengths, the exit fits into a broader retreat by Standard Chartered from Africa as it concentrates capital on fewer, higher-return markets.

Over the past decade, the bank has exited or scaled back operations in several African countries, including Zimbabwe, Angola, Cameroon, Gambia, Sierra Leone, Zambia and Tanzania. The strategy reflects mounting pressures facing international banks operating in smaller African markets, including rising compliance costs, currency volatility, regulatory complexity and relatively modest returns on capital.

Other global lenders have followed similar paths. Société Générale Group has sold multiple African subsidiaries to regional and local banking groups. BNP Paribas Group has steadily reduced its African footprint, while Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Holdings plc (HSBC) has largely withdrawn from retail banking across the continent to refocus on Asia and the Middle East.

Over the past three years, Standard Chartered’s wealth assets under management in sub-Saharan Africa more than doubled from US$1.7 billion to US$4.0 billion, driven largely by growth among affluent clients in Kenya and Nigeria two markets the bank now considers core.

The contrast highlights a deliberate shift away from broad geographic coverage towards deeper engagement in a smaller number of scalable, high-growth markets.

Interest in the Botswana franchise from regional banks, private equity-backed financial groups and well-capitalised domestic institutions seeking to strengthen corporate and investment banking capabilities is expected.

For Botswana, Standard Chartered’s exit represents both the departure of a long-established global banking brand and an opportunity for greater local and regional ownership within the financial sector  a trend that has become increasingly common across Africa.

As Standard Chartered reshapes its global footprint, Botswana becomes the latest example of a broader transformation in African banking: one in which international banks are retreating, even as regional and local players step forward to fill the space.

 Equity Axis News